A late-night traffic stop in Lakewood turned surreal when, police say, a naked driver sped away, blew through a major intersection, and crashed into multiple vehicles before finally being arrested.
What police said
According to the Lakewood Police Department, as reported by CBS Colorado, an officer first spotted an Infiniti sedan weaving and changing lanes along Wadsworth Boulevard late Sunday night and tried to initiate a traffic stop with lights activated. The officer then disengaged and did not pursue. The Infiniti continued northbound, ran a red light at the intersection of Wadsworth Boulevard and Alameda Avenue, and slammed into other vehicles in the busy crossroads.
When officers reached the crash site, they found the driver naked and took them into custody. Two people from the crash were transported to nearby hospitals with what police described as minor injuries, and crews temporarily shut down the intersection while investigators worked the scene.
Why officers sometimes disengage
Police pursuit policies generally tell officers to constantly balance the risk to bystanders against the need to immediately catch someone who flees. According to the Stanford Law Use of Force Project, many departments limit vehicle chases to violent felonies or situations involving an imminent threat, and they advise calling off pursuits when the danger to the public outweighs the potential benefit of a quick arrest. That kind of guidance helps explain why an officer might break off an attempted stop instead of chasing a driver through a busy intersection.
Scene and what is next
Photos shared in coverage show crumpled vehicles and officers documenting the wreckage at the intersection, with the images credited to the Lakewood Police Department. Police said they eventually cleared the scene and reopened the crossroads after investigators finished their work. The department reports that its investigation into the crash and the driver’s actions is continuing.
