Police: Stolen vehicle driven by teens strikes officer; pursuit ends in crash in Rochester

An early morning vehicle pursuit that traversed Rochester and injured a police officer ended with a crash on Dewey Avenue, according to Rochester police.

The incident started around 4:45 a.m. Tuesday, when Rochester police were called to South Goodman Street, near Interstate 490, to investigate a report that people were "looking into cars" in the area, said Capt. Greg Bello of the Rochester Police Department. The suspects - later determined to be four teenagers and a 12-year-old - entered a white Kia, which police later said was stolen. The teens drove the vehicle directly toward a police officer, who had exited his patrol car, and struck him before they fled the scene, Bello said.

The officer suffered injuries that were not considered life-threatening and was taken to an area hospital for treatment, Bello said.

A 20-minute-long vehicle pursuit followed and ended when the Kia crashed into a house at the corner of Dewey Avenue and Emerson Street, he said. All five youngsters exited the vehicle. Three were apprehended immediately and two others ran to a house on Locust Street.

Officers surrounded the house and after about an hour, two youngsters were located in the basement and were taken into custody, Bello said. A portion of Dewey Avenue and Locust Street were temporarily closed early Tuesday morning, but later reopened.

The five suspects include a 15-year-old boy, a 16-year-old boy, a 17-year-old boy, a 12-year-old girl and a 17-year-old girl.

Bello said that the Kia involved in the incident had ignition damage consistent with having been stolen. Officers on Tuesday morning located the registered owner, who was unaware that the vehicle had been stolen overnight.

Also during the chase, the Kia struck and damaged two houses on Curtis Street, officers said.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with video or who witnessed the events, specifically on South Goodman and Locust streets, are asked to call 911.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Stolen vehicle driven by teens strikes officer in Rochester NY