RAPID CITY, S.D. – A morning traffic stop initiated by the South Dakota Highway Patrol escalated into a high-speed pursuit and a significant collision at a busy Rapid City intersection Thursday.
The incident began when a Highway Patrol trooper attempted to pull over a vehicle near the interchange of Interstate 90 and Haines Avenue. According to law enforcement officials, the driver refused to stop, leading officers on a chase that moved from the interstate into the city limits.
The pursuit ended abruptly when the suspect vehicle collided with an uninvolved motorist in the area of East North Street and Cherry Avenue.
All occupants of the fleeing vehicle were detained at the scene. Authorities confirmed that several of those individuals were transported to a local hospital for medical treatment. The driver and sole occupant of the second vehicle was also taken to the hospital to be treated for injuries sustained during the impact.
The South Dakota Department of Public Safety has taken over the primary investigation into the crash. Local police diverted traffic away from East North Street for several hours while investigators processed the scene and cleared the wreckage.
Motorists are advised to seek alternate routes through Rapid City as the intersection remains partially restricted. Inquiries regarding the specific details of the pursuit and the identity of the suspects are being referred to the Department of Public Safety.
