A burglary suspect is now hospitalized following a high-speed crash in Tampa's Jackson Heights neighborhood, subsequently initiating a road closure at the intersection of North 34th Street and East 18th Avenue. The incident, which unfolded this morning, began with Tampa police responding to a reported burglary at 3222 N. 40th Street, as reported by WTSP.
In the process of fleeing the scene sans headlights, the suspect’s vehicle engaged in a collision with another car. This detail, coming from the Tampa Police Department, discloses a brief but desperate attempt by officers to locate the suspect vehicle after momentarily losing sight of it. Operating in the dim light of the pre-dawn hours, the suspect was apprehended only after the crash had occurred, at an intersection approximately four blocks from the burglary site, according to WFLA.
Authorities have confirmed that Tampa police found the fleeing vehicle shortly after the impact. The collision resulted in the suspect being labeled as a "trauma alert" and rushed to a local hospital. The occupant of the vehicle hit by the suspect sustained minor injuries and was also hospitalized for treatment, ABC Action News details.
While the investigation persists, the Tampa Police Department has cautioned the public that the intersection will remain closed for some time. "The suspect was transported to a local hospital as a trauma alert," officers said, providing a measure of the incident's severity to concerned onlookers, as per WTSP's release. As for the collateral victim of this series of events, the person inside the car impacted by the suspect, was taken to the hospital and received treatment for their wounds. Additional details on the crash are expected to be shared by the department once available.
