3 Palestinians crash car into police cruiser after high-speed pursuit

Three suspected car thieves were arrested after ramming the stolen vehicle into a police cruiser and then attempting to flee the scene by foot.

By DANIEL K. EISENBUD
Police cars at night 370 (photo credit: Courtesy Israel Police)
Police cars at night 370
(photo credit: Courtesy Israel Police)
Following a high-speed chase through the streets of east Jerusalem’s Pisgat Ze’ev neighborhood Thursday afternoon, three suspected car thieves were arrested after ramming the stolen vehicle into a police cruiser in a head-on collision and then attempting to flee the scene by foot.
According to police, at approximately 1 p.m. three officers traveling in one vehicle spotted a car reported stolen with three Arab men inside. When police attempted to pull the car over, a high speed chase ensued, during which the suspects briefly eluded law enforcement.
However, a few moments later police spotted the stolen car several blocks away, at which time the vehicle’s driver floored the accelerator and drove directly into the parked police cruiser, causing serious damage to both cars and injuring the three officers, police said.
The suspects then abandoned the vehicle and fled by foot.
Although lightly injured, all three officers pursued the suspects during a protracted chase. Two of the suspects were apprehended and placed under arrest while the third got away, but was apprehended minutes later, police said.
The three officers were treated for minor injuries at Shaare Zedek Medical Center.
“It is too early to tell if they will be tried for attempted murder,” Police spokesman Shmuel Ben-Ruby said Thursday of the suspected car thieves.
Ruby said all three men are scheduled to be arraigned at the Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court Friday morning, at which time they will be formally charged.