‘I heard a big crash’; Two troopers hurt after crashing into tree in Rochester while chasing stolen car
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — A New York State Police car crashed into a tree on Rochester’s west side Monday night while troopers were chasing a stolen Hyundai Elantra. The suspects ditched the car about half a mile away from the crash scene.
Tori Warren, a neighbor who lives around the corner from where the crash happened, says that stolen cars and speeding through her neighborhood has become the norm.
“I was lying in my living room and I looked out the window,” Warren said. “I saw a dark gray car like the backing of a cop car and it was speeding. And then I saw a state trooper speed after it and then I heard a big crash.”
After Warren heard the crash, she came outside and saw a State Police car crashed into a tree.
“A little grassy spot over there and I ran and I saw the cop actually holding his arm and his leg was up in the air a little bit. It was a state trooper,” Warren said.
State Police say two troopers were hurt while chasing the car around 6:15 p.m. The troopers hit a tree in the area of Silver Street and Kensington Street in Rochester. Just blocks away, the stolen car was found empty on Superior Street.
Video given to News10NBC by State Police shows three young people running from the stolen car. Warren, a mother of an 8-year-old boy, is afraid more people will get hurt.
“It breaks my heart seeing these kids doing this and just the thought that a little kid could be out on the street and get hit, just talking about it makes me want to cry,” she said.
Warren says this is bigger than a stolen car issue and everyone is a target. “It impacts the community by one less officer on the street helping people,” she said.
The two troopers involved in the crash were taken to Strong Memorial Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. State Police say stolen cars speeding and driving recklessly around the neighborhood have become the norm. If you recognize the suspects in the video or know anything about the incident, call 911.
A.I. assisted with the formatting of this story. Click here to see how WHEC News 10 uses A.I.