When an officer went to investigate an allegedly stolen vehicle at Fair Oaks Mall this morning (Friday), one of the vehicle’s passengers commandered the officer’s cruiser and crashed it near the Fairfax County Government Center, police say.
The Fairfax County Police Department says it arrested three people in the incident, which sent two officers and the person who allegedly stole the police cruiser to the hospital.
The officer went to investigate the vehicle at the Fair Oaks shopping center after identifying it as stolen around 11:35 a.m., FCPD Sgt. Jacob Pearce said in a 3:15 p.m. media briefing.
“While he was investigating the stolen vehicle, one of the three occupants of that stolen vehicle hopped out, hopped in his cruiser and stole his police vehicle,” Pearce said.
A brief pursuit ended when the individual crashed the police vehicle into another cruiser on Federalist Way near Government Center Parkway, according to the FCPD. The individual and two officers were transported to a hospital, though their injuries are considered not life-threatening.
“All suspects were accounted for and apprehended within minutes of the incident initially starting,” Pearce said.
According to Pearce, police found stolen merchandise and possible narcotics when searching the suspect vehicle, which police say was stolen in Maryland. All three people found in the vehicle are adults, and they’re believed to have come to Fairfax County from another jurisdiction.
Westbound Government Center Parkway was closed at Post Forest Drive was closed while police investigated. The value and source of the merchandise reportedly found in the vehicle remain to be determined.
“There’s a suspicion that it’s connected to other larcenies,” Pearce said.
2 officers & the suspect sustained injuries considered non-life-threatening. Westbound Government Center Pkwy at Post Forest Dr in Fair Oaks is closed. Officers and detectives are on scene investigating. (2/2)
— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) June 21, 2024
