Police chase ends with crash, foot chase

A car theft investigation Tuesday night unexpectedly turned into a vehicle pursuit, a crash and then foot pursuit that ended with one motorist injured and a suspect in custody for charges of vehicular assault and attempting to elude police. Officers had responded to the 3300 block of East Grace Avenue at 7:45 p.m. to investigate the report of a stolen vehicle, Office Ryan Snider said in news release. While in the area, officers heard what they thought was a gunshot. Seconds later, a speeding vehicle approached then turned away. Officers pursued but called off the chase after speeds became too fast for safety, Snider said. Other officers near Bridgeport Avenue and Perry Street saw the vehicle and the pursuit continued through residential areas. The fleeing car then crashed into another vehicle at Post Street and Euclid Avenue and the driver ran away. Officer Craig Hamilton and his dog, Leonidas, found the driver hiding in a nearby garage, Snider said. He was identified as 21-year-old Nicholas A. O’Neill. The car he was driving had nothing to do with the earlier theft investigation but officers did find a handgun in the floor of O’Neill’s car, Snider said. The crash at Post and Euclid sent the other driver to an area hospital for injuries that did not appear to be life threatening, Snider said. But as a result of the crash, officers closed the intersection of Post and Euclid for three hours to investigate the crash scene.