Two people had to be rescued after they were trapped inside a stolen vehicle that collided with a building at Rainier Avenue South and South Charlestown Street early this morning.
At around 2:15 this morning, a South Precinct patol officer saw a white, 2002 Chevy Avalanche SUV driving at a high rate of speed southbound on Rainier. The Avalanche nearly struck the officer’s patrol car. The SUV was driving so fast that the officer lost sight of it. Moments later, officers located the vehicle at Rainier Avenue South and South Charlestown where it had collidied with the corner of a building, causing significant damage to the building. The driver and passenger were trapped inside, and Seattle Fire responded. Both occupants had to be cut out of the vehicle and both were transported to Harborview Medical Center via medics. The Avalance turned out to be a reported stolen vehicle.
Detectives from the Traffic Collision Investigation Squad (TCIS) responded and took over the investigation. The driver, a 26-year-old male, suffered serious but non life threatening injuries. The passenger, a 22-year-old female, suffered only minor injuries. TCIS detectives will handle the follow up investigation.