Several counties in Florida were the backdrop for a police chase. It began when police came upon an armed robbery in progress. The suspects fled in an SUV and the police officer followed them through multiple counties.
There is no telling how long the chase would have continued for had the suspects not gotten into a car accident with a tanker truck. The accident left the SUV smashed in the front, even though the truck had been empty at the time of the collision.
The police apprehended one suspect when he emerged from the wrecked vehicle. He was soon brought to a local hospital to have his injuries checked. There is no information in the article as to whether the other suspect in the vehicle was hurt. The driver of the truck was injured and also taken to get medical attention.
While the suspect is recovering from his injuries, he no doubt has many unanswered. First and foremost is what he will be charged with. But the next question he may be wondering is whether the police department has to pay for his medical bills. He could argue that he never would have crashed into the back of the tanker truck but for being chased by the officers. However, he was engaged in the act of fleeing an officer, so the likelihood of the department being liable for his injuries is low.
For the truck driver, any accident injury he suffers was caused by the SUV crashing into the back of his truck. The article states that he was placed on a backboard as he was taken from the accident scene, which could mean a possible back or neck injury. If his injury prevents him from returning to work for a while, he could file a claim to get lost wages as well as compensation for his medical bills.
Source: CBS News online, “Chase of Miami Robbery Suspect Ends with Crash,” 17 November 2010
