(Updated at 12:40 p.m. on 8/3/14) Six people were hospitalized after a police chase turned into a multiple-vehicle collision on I-66 Saturday afternoon.
Around 3:15 p.m., Virginia State Police say they pulled over a Dodge Charger for a routine traffic stop on eastbound I-66 in Fairfax County when it was spotted driving on the shoulder. The Charger stopped for a state trooper in Fairfax County, near exit 57 for Route 50. The responding trooper discovered the driver, 25-year-old Ericka S. Oliver, had an arrest warrant from another local jurisdiction and took her into custody. According to a VSP press release, the male passenger, 33-year-old Anthony G. McCrae of Washington, D.C., then grabbed the wheel of the car and sped off, which led to a high-speed pursuit.
McCrae reportedly exited I-66 at Route 123, turned around, then got back onto eastbound I-66. When the Charger approached traffic before the exit for N. Glebe Road and Fairfax Drive, police say it struck a Ford Expedition and spun out of control. The Charger then smashed into a Subaru Outback.
The Arlington County Fire Department responded to the crash scene, and Capt. Bill Shelton told ARLnow.com they transported six patients — including McCrae — to local hospitals. McCrae was treated for serious but non-life-threatening injuries. The other patients also suffered non-life-threatening injuries, but Shelton said a few were in serious condition when they were transported.
McCrae was arrested and is being held without bond at the hospital on outstanding warrants from both Arlington and Prince William counties. He likely will face additional charges for Saturday’s incident when VSP completes its investigation of the pursuit and crash.
Eastbound I-66 was closed for about an hour following the wreck, and traffic started to get through around 4:30 p.m. Just after 6:00 p.m., all lanes of the highway were open to traffic.