Thomas Breen Photo
Chief Dominguez at a March press event in Newhallville.
Acting Police Chief Renee Dominguez said she is fine after a speeding driver crashed into her car and then led police on a foot chase.
The incident occurred Monday around noon.
Here’s what happened, according to Dominguez:
She was heading north on State Street to pick up lunch at Zoi’s on Grove Street. She was driving a new department Ford Escort.
The light at Fair Street turned green. She began driving.
Another driver came flying through the red light, on Fair Street. The vehicles collided.
The collision sent his car crashing into a cement fixture near the overpass by the State Street train station.
The man ran out of the car, “up Fair, down Union [St.], into the dog park.” Then the man jumped down onto the train tracks
Police responded. “We set up a perimeter” at the scene, “knowing there were not too many locations” where the man could go.
He emerged into an outdoor parking lot at the Knights of Columbus Museum. Police made the arrest without incident, according to Dominguez.
The man had reason to flee: It turned out police had stopped him the day before, and he had driven away. Shortly before Monday’s crash with Dominguez, police had tried to stop him again. They did not engage in a chase, according to Dominguez, but he went speeding away nonetheless.
The man allegedly had narcotics on him at the time of Monday’s arrest. He was charged with multiple driving and drug-related offenses, among others. He was not injured, Dominguez said.
The man is also currently on parole, according to the state judicial database.
Glad the Chief is OK. I hope this wakes the NHPD up and they start cracking down on our lawless, dangerous streets.