Two injured after Route 1 police chase ends in crash

October 9, 2019 Police and Fire
View of the crash scene from a distance, with police and fire vehicles visible
The scene at the intersection of Fort Hunt Road and Richmond Highway on Tuesday evening. (Picture courtesy of Taylor Robinson)

A police chase on Tuesday evening ended in a crash involving multiple vehicles near the intersection of Richmond Highway and Fort Hunt Road.

The pursuit began after two people were seen allegedly stealing items from the Shoppers in Mount Vernon Plaza around 6:30 p.m. Employees called the police and officers then spotted a Ford Minivan believed to be the suspects. When the officers attempted to pull the van over, it sped away, police said in a press release.

The pursuit continued north on Richmond Highway to near the intersections of Huntington Avenue and Fort Hunt Road, where the van crashed into multiple vehicles and became disabled.

Two people were transported to the hospital will non-life-threatening injuries, according to a Fairfax Fire and Rescue spokesman.

Three people in the van were taken into custody, police said. Two Washington D.C. men, ages 51 and 59, were charged with larceny. A 30-year-old Washington, D.C. woman was charged with larceny, felony hit and run, failure to stop and driving without a license.

The crash left the northbound lanes of Richmond Highway closed until around 8 p.m.