VIDEO: Stolen car crashes into building after nearly hitting police car
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Two women are facing charges after Rochester Police say they were driving a stolen Hyundai, almost hit a patrol car, wouldn’t pull over, almost hit a pedestrian, and ended up crashing into a store on Saturday night.
News10NBC obtained surveillance footage of the car slamming into the store, nearly hitting the owner. Crews evacuated the building, deeming it structurally unsafe. News10NBC spoke to a man who lives upstairs in the building, whose uncle owns the store.
“It was loud. I was laying down upstairs. And even at the top of the store, it was loud,” Raheem Musaad said. “… I was running down to see what happened.”
Rochester Police say it all happened at 6:15 Saturday night, when a patrol car on North Clinton Avenue was turning and the Hyundai nearly hit the car, in the area between Avenue A and Morrill Street. When police tried to pull the Hyundai over, they say it sped off and tried to turn on Kohlman Street — but slid into the side of a building due to their speed and slippery roads, narrowly missing a pedestrian.
The Hyundai caused extensive damage to the building on North Clinton, in the area between Kohlman and Oxford streets. The Rochester Fire Department did respond to check on the building and found it was not structurally sound, and evacuated the first and second floors.
Police explain the driver and passenger — two 18-year-old Rochester women — got out of the car and started running, but were arrested shortly after.
One woman was treated by AMR after saying she was in pain from the crash. The other woman was not injured.
The driver of the Hyundai was charged with grand larceny and criminal mischief and given multiple traffic tickets. The passenger was charged with unlawful use of a motor vehicle.
Both women were released with appearance tickets.