INDEPENDENCE, Mo. — A metro teenager is in critical condition following a horrific three-vehicle crash that happened Friday afternoon.
One of the vehicles was stolen, and emergency crews had to use the Jaws of Life to free a teenage girl trapped inside her car. Investigators say her silver Alero was demolished in the crash, and the driver of a suspected stolen pickup truck took off running afterwards.
Police say the girl left school and was driving eastbound on 24 Highway at about 3 p.m. Within moments, police say a man in the stolen, white pick-up turned onto Parker and slammed head-on into the victim`s vehicle.
After he fled, officers tracked the driver down a few blocks away in the 900 block of Strode and arrested him.
Seventeen-year-old Skylar McHardie is a schoolmate of the girl who was seriously hurt, and was driving behind the victim when her Jeep Grand Cherokee was also involved in the crash.
“They had to cut her out. She was put on a stretcher, but I saw her moving her hands,” said Skylar.
“We have a lot of mutual friends and I went to her seventh hour today. It`s very upsetting. I hope she`s okay.”
Police say the girl remains in critical condition at a hospital, and the suspect is now in jail.
A canine helped track him down after he fled. Police say the pursuit was “Isaac” the German Shepherd’s first assignment.
