COLUMBUS, Ind. — Columbus police officers arrested an 18-year-old man Friday after they say he crashed into several vehicles as he attempted to flee from law enforcement.
Edgar DelaCruz Veronico, 18, from Columbus, was taken to the Bartholomew County Jail after the chase that started around 3 p.m.
Officers were called to the area of 3rd and Lindsey streets near State Road 46 and the White River after a woman called 911 to report that she had been rear-ended and run off the road.
Officers spotted Veronico's red 2009 Ford Mustang a short time later and noticed the car had front end damage and was smoking. When officers tried to stop Veronico, they said he sped off instead.
After eluding the first officers, another officer found and tried to stop Veronico again before Veronico crashed into the back of a Cadillac on U.S. 31 north of Herman Darlage Drive on the north side of Columbus.
Veronico got out and tried to run from the crash scene, but officers caught him near Shannon Drive and Dale Court.
The driver of the Cadillac complained of shoulder pain from the crash and received medical treatment.
Investigators determined that Veronico was involved in three other accidents between striking the woman near the river and the Cadillac.
Officers detected the strong odor of alcohol on his breath and he was taken to the hospital for a blood test before he was taken to jail on eight preliminary charges that including driving drunk, resisting arrest, leaving an accident scene, reckless driving and underage drinking.
As of Monday, no official charged had been filed.
