Short police pursuit ends in downtown crash

3 people injured, including an officer, during afternoon incident

Three people were injured, including a Lodi Police Department officer, after a collision in Downtown Lodi Tuesday afternoon.

Sgt. Matt Latino said the pursuit began at about 11:55 a.m. near the McDonald’s located at 200 W. Lodi Avenue. Minutes later, the pursuit ended at the intersection of Church and Oak streets, and Latino said it is unknown how the chase ended there.

Debris was strewn across Church Street after the collision, and a black Mercedes was facing south in the northbound lanes along the curb on the 200 block of Church Street. It’s driver’s side door was caved in, the windows were shattered and airbags had deployed.

A white City of Lodi pickup truck with frontend damage was facing east in the southbound lanes.

“At this point we have no reason to believe that any other vehicles were involved in the collision,” Latino said. “However, the white pickup — it’s a city of Lodi Police Department vehicle — and the suspect vehicle were the only two involved in the collision.”

Richard Berg said he was walking at the corner of School Street and Lodi Avenue when the chase unfolded. Minutes later, he heard a crash.

“I was getting ready to cross the street,” he said. “The sirens went on, and the lights went on the undercover police car. She was chasing this guy, and

he went through the back of the (Honey Treat Yogurt), then came out on the street to try and get away.”

Berg said the Mercedes drove through the driveway between the Honey Treat and the Bank of the West on the 200 block of Church Street, then exited onto the street between the bank and St. Anne’s School.

“They took the guy out and he was all bloody,” Berg said. “They had drawn guns and got him out.”

Latino said one officer was taken to a local hospital for treatment, and both occupants of the Mercedes — a 29-yearold man and 33-year-old woman — were arrested.

Both are from Lodi, police said, and both were taken to a local hospital for treatment of injuries, he said.

The man was arrested on suspicion of felony evading and other felony charges, and the woman was arrested on suspicion of possession of drug paraphernalia and multiple warrants, police said.

It was unknown why officers were pursuing the vehicle, and no further information was available. An investigation is ongoing, police said.

WES BOWERS/NEWS-SENTINEL Three people were injured when a car being pursued by police collided with a City of Lodi work truck Tuesday afternoon in Downtown Lodi.

Debris was strewn across Church Street after the collision, and a black Mercedes was facing south in the northbound lanes along the curb on the 200 block of Church Street.