Carjacker Who Stabbed Victim, Hit Pedestrian Eludes Police After 2 Chases
DENVER (CBS4) - Police in the Denver metro area have been searching for a suspect who stole a truck after stabbing a man and then crashed into a pedestrian in a different area and drove off.
The suspect has led police on two separate chases that have reached high speeds, forcing police to end the pursuits.
The first crime happened in Denver at approximately 7:30 a.m. Monday at a parking garage near Lincoln Street and East Tennessee Avenue. A man confronted the suspect who was casing vehicles in the garage and was stabbed. A four-door Toyota Tacoma was stolen on the first floor of the garage.
The victim who was stabbed during the carjacking was taken to the hospital and he is expected to make a full recovery. It was previously reported that a woman was stabbed but that turned out not to be the case.
There was also a crash that the truck was involved in soon afterwards.
At approximately 12:15 p.m. Aurora police spotted the suspect vehicle near 14th Avenue and Oswago Street.
"When officers tried to stop the vehicle at 14th and Peoria he failed to stop and a pursuit was initiated," Sgt. Chris Amsler with Aurora police said in a statement.
Amsler said the chase went southbound on Peoria to 6th Avenue and entered Denver. Denver officers took over the pursuit near Alameda and Colorado Boulevard.
"The vehicle continued to travel west past the Cherry Creek Mall. At Speer and Logan we terminated our involvement in the pursuit due to concerns for public safety," Amsler said. "Suspect did try to hit one of our officers head on at one point. Speeds got to 60 miles per hour at one point."
Nobody was injured and no accidents occurred, according to Amsler.
Then at approximately 4:20 p.m. Aurora police reported a possible sighting of the Tacoma at Mississippi and Sable and gave chase westbound on Alameda. A short time later a police officer was involved in a crash with a civilian's car on Alameda near Moline. A woman in the other car was taken to the hospital with injuries not considered to be life-threatening.
The suspect vehicle was last seen driving westbound on Alameda into Denver.
An officer at the scene of the crash told CBS4 a male passenger in the Tacoma got out of the pickup. The officer said the man was a willing passenger and he was being questioned by investigators.
The black stolen Toyota Tacoma's license plate was 996-MFH.
The suspect was described as a 6-foot-tall white man, 180 pounds, slim with a shaved head and stubble. He had a tattoo on his lower arm and was wearing a light-colored shirt.
Anyone who sees the vehicle is asked to call 911 or contact Denver police.
