C.J. Gish
One person died and another person is in critical condition after eluding a Gainesville Police Department (GPD) officer and crashing a stolen vehicle on Tuesday morning.
According to a GPD release on Wednesday, at around 12:30 a.m. a GPD officer was on foot patrol at an apartment complex when he spotted a vehicle that had been reported stolen on Monday.
The stolen 2015 Chrysler 200 exited the apartment complex and the GPD officer, after getting into his vehicle, attempted to initiate a traffic stop. The Chrysler fled at a high rate of speed traveling westbound on NE 23rd Avenue from North Main Street and the officer discontinued the chase, the GPD release said.
GPD officers located the Chrysler flipped on its side at 1400 NW 23rd Avenue a short time later, according to the release. Gainesville Fire Rescue responded to the accident and extracted two occupants from the vehicle and transported them to UF Shands, where one occupant was pronounced deceased and the other remains in critical condition.
GPD also discovered two stolen firearms inside the Chrysler.
GPD requests anyone with information about this incident to contact the GPD traffic safety team at 352-393-7744.