Police chase ends in crash; 4 arrested

A police pursuit which began in an Indian Hills shopping center, ended Tuesday night on Ironwood Drive in Douglas County.

Initial reports indicate that police were called out to an attempted auto burglary in Carson City on Clear Creek Road just after 10 p.m.

The homeowner witnessed a van fleeing the scene and gave a description to deputies, said Sheriff Ken Furlong.

Washoe Tribal Police officers allegedly witnessed the occupants of the suspect vehicle attempting to break into a car parked in the Target parking lot.

When the officers tried to pull over the van, it sped away down Jacks Valley Road, then onto Highway 395 and into Minden.

The van wrecked into a tree shortly after turning onto Ironwood Drive. Speeds were in excess of 80 mph.

"They picked a tree damn near as wide as the vehicle and they just went straight on into it," said Furlong.

Police arrested three people outside the vehicle and one person inside the vehicle. At least one of the people taken into custody is a female, who kicked out a patrol window. When she was moved to another vehicle, she allegedly kicked a window out again. At least three of the four arrested appear to be juveniles. One of the occupants was taken from the scene by ambulance.

The accident caused the van to catch fire, but officers at the scene were able to put it out with fire extinguishers. It's unclear if any property damage resulted from the wreck.

The tags on the van are thought to be stolen from the Washoe Tribe.