Vehicles strike homes in separate incidents

Officer pulls driver from burning car after crash

Alcohol may be a factor in a hit-andrun collision Sunday morning, in which a Yuma police officer pulled one of the drivers from a burning vehicle.

According to Yuma Police Department Officer Cruz Vidal, officers received a call about the collision in the 2300 block of West 16th Street at 2:43 a.m. Vidal said that a 2004 white Mitsubishi four-door sedan, driven by 24-year-old Jesus Almada, rear-ended a silver four-door 2006 Chrysler 300 sedan. YPD did not name the driver of the Chrysler. After the collision, Almada fled the scene, police said, and the driver of the Chrysler followed him.

Later, while trying to flee the pursuit, Almada lost control of his Mitsubishi and crashed into a residence in the 3100 block of South Avenue A. The impact pushed his vehicle into other vehicles at the residence and his vehicle caught on fire.

A Yuma police officer pulled Almada from the burning vehicle. The Yuma Fire Department treated him and extinguished the fire. Almada was taken to Yuma Regional Medical Center for injuries that were not life-threatening. No injuries were reported from the occupants at the residence.

The driver of the Chrysler complained of injuries that were not life-threatening, while a 9-year-old passenger did not report any injuries.

The case is still under investigation as alcohol may be a factor, YPD said.