Armed carjacking in Northeast Philly leads to 2 crashes; car erupts in flames with suspect inside

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- An armed carjacking in Northeast Philadelphia ended in a crash with the stolen car bursting into flames and one suspect still inside.

It all began just before 3 a.m. Tuesday on the 2800 block of Shipley Road.

Police say three males armed with guns approached the driver of a 2015 Dodge Charger and then took off in the vehicle.

Police put out a description and license plate number of the stolen vehicle.

Within a few minutes, a sergeant on patrol saw a vehicle fitting the description going south on Castor Avenue.

The sergeant began following the Charger but the suspect who was driving was traveling at a high rate of speed, going through red lights and stop signs, police say.

The carjacked vehicle struck the side of a Honda CRV that was going west on Levick Street, causing the CRV to flip onto its side.

Police say the 44-year-old driver of the CRV was not injured.

"The stolen car hit the Honda CRV with such force that the right front tire of this Dodge Charger was completely ripped off of the car and struck a parked car on Castor Avenue," Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small said.

A block later, the Charger struck a utility pole and the impact caused the vehicle to burst into flames.

Two of the three males in the stolen car took off, but police caught them a short distance away in the 1300 block of Sterling Street.

The police sergeant approached the burning Charger and found the third suspect unconscious in the front seat.

Authorities say the sergeant reached in and pulled the male out of the vehicle.

Medics were called to the scene and he was taken to the hospital in critical condition.

"The sergeant, more than likely, saved this individual's life or saved him from getting burned very badly," Small said.

Police say the two other suspects were taken to the hospital for bumps and bruises.

Police say one suspect is 23 years old, the other two are in their early 20s.

The carjacking victim was able to positively identify all three suspects, police say.

Police say one suspect who fled threw a gun that was recovered. After the fire was extinguished, officers found two more guns in the stolen vehicle, as well as live ammunition.

"Clearly, very dangerous individuals, because not only did they commit this robbery, carjacking, point of three guns, while they were fleeing and going south on Castor Avenue, they were driving at a high rate of speed, very recklessly going through red lights," Small said.

"A bizarre story but great police work by the 7th and 2nd district police and they took three dangerous individuals into custody."

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