Suspect crashes alleged stolen car, flees on foot

A suspected car thief crashed a white Kia into a parked car on Denver Avenue on Monday morning before fleeing on foot, police said.

A crowd of about 20 neighbors gathered at the scene after hearing the crash, which occurred about 9 a.m.

Merced police said a man crashed into a parked Dodge Caravan, pushing it into the cars parked in front of it. A woman sitting inside the van was taken by ambulance to the hospital for complaints of pain, said Merced police Officer Craig McKeeman.

The suspect driving the white Kia fled on foot, Mckeeman said.

At least three parked cars were damaged in the crash, including the van, a blue Ford sedan and a white SUV.

Shortly after the crash, a woman who said she owned the car showed up and told police she discovered it stolen in the morning.

The incident remains under investigation.

This story was originally published June 12, 2017 at 4:01 PM with the headline "Suspect crashes alleged stolen car, flees on foot."