Chaos erupted on the streets of Chicago's Far South Side Wednesday evening when a vehicle fleeing Blue Island police officers struck a Pace bus, leading to multiple injuries. ABC7 Chicago reports that the pursuit began after a vehicle allegedly ignored a red light. The incident occurred near the intersection of South Halsted Street and West Vermont Street, with the fleeing vehicle ultimately crashing into the Pace bus and involving two other vehicles in the aftermath.
Officials told NBC Chicago that the pursuit started in Blue Island and proceeded northbound on Halsted Street. The collision took place just inside Chicago city limits around 7:30 p.m. Nine individuals were rushed to nearby hospitals, with five patients reported in serious-to-critical condition, although it remains unclear how many were on the bus or in the vehicles.
A total of eleven people sustained injuries in the crash, as per details provided in the interviews. "It must've been something bad for them to be driving that fast down a residential street, coming on to traffic," Angelo Townsend told ABC7 Chicago, expressing the gravity of the collision. Witnesses recounted the harrowing scene, describing how a black Jeep, involved in the police chase, collided with the Pace bus and other vehicles. The impact resulted in scattered debris and caused significant concern among onlookers and those involved.
The driver of an SUV, aged 31, and his passenger, a 34-year-old man, were transported to Advocate Christ Hospital in critical condition, while a second passenger was taken to the same hospital in good condition. A 27-year-old woman driving another car involved in the crash was sent to the University of Chicago Medical Center, also in good condition, along with a six-year-old boy who was her passenger. The other injured individuals included passengers from the Pace bus, who received medical attention at nearby hospitals. As of this report, no arrests have been made, and the investigation is ongoing. "It ain't that serious. I don't care what kind of crime you've done. It ain't that serious to kill somebody else or kill yourself. Stop," Keno Nowling opined in an interview obtained by ABC7 Chicago.
