Stolen car crashes into apartments, catches fire in police pursuit

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A stolen car involved in a police pursuit crashed into an east side apartment building Sunday night, starting a fire and injuring a person inside.

Officers with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department were responding to a shots fired run just before 8:30 p.m. Sunday along North Mitthoeffer Road when an officer saw what he believed to be a blue Toyota Corolla reported stolen Saturday in an armed carjacking.

When the officer attempted to conduct a traffic stop to investigate the shots fired and the carjacking, the Corolla fled, driving south on Mitthoeffer at speeds up to 80 mph.

The car crashed into a building at the Brookview Apartments in the 1200 block of North Mitthoeffer Road, catching fire and causing lacerations to one person inside. He was taken to Sidney & Lois Eskenazi Hospital and is reportedly stable.

Another person inside unknowingly helped the driver, who was able to escape.

Police believe that if all the incidents are connected, the suspect is a serious violent felon. He is described as a black male possibly in his 20s, wearing a blue jersey.