Two police vehicles hit by car in Northeast Philly

An attempted drug arrest sparked a wild chase Tuesday night in Northeast Philadelphia as a car rammed two police vehicles while speeding through several neighborhoods trying to get away, police said.

Police captured the driver and passenger of the Mercury Grand Marquis and planned to charge them, said Chief Inspector Scott Small. Only the driver was injured.

The ordeal began around 9 p.m., when narcotics officers approached the Mercury in a parking lot at Cottman and Torresdale Avenues to announce a drug arrest, Small said. The officers had seen what they believed was a drug deal.

They approached the car, saw drugs inside, and attempted to make an arrest, which is when the car was thrown into reverse, crashed into a civilian vehicle, and then sped forward before heading north on Torresdale and away from the narcotics officers.

The Mercury peeled out of the lot so abruptly one officer "actually had to dive out of the way," Small said. It popped a tire and was driving on a bare rim, throwing sparks as it fled from police, Small said.

The Mercury smashed into two squad cars at Bleigh Avenue and Edmund Street, came to a stop at the 7600 block of Torresdale, but sped off again, hitting one of the same squad cars a second time, Small said.

The 51-year-old driver and his 30-year-old male passenger were caught on foot a short time after stopping and jumping out near the 7900 block of Torresdale, Small said. Police said both men were in possession of pills and what appeared to be crack cocaine.

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