Drive-by shooting sparks police chase, crashes in Yakima | Crime and courts

A reported drive-by shooting Sunday afternoon led to a police chase and several crashes before three suspects were captured by police near 40th Avenue and Englewood Avenue in Yakima.

Yakima police apprehended three suspects after their vehicle crashed at the intersection and they fled on foot, YPD public information officer Yvette Inzunza reported.

The incident began at 1:52 p.m. when officers responded to calls about shots fired at Sarg Hubbard Park, Inzunza reported.

“There was an exchange of gunfire between two vehicles. Patrol officers located the suspect vehicle, SUV,” she reported in an email to the Herald-Republic.

“The suspect vehicle failed to stop for police, fled and a chase ensued,” Inzunza added, with the pursuit passing through Naches and then back to Yakima.

The suspects' SUV was seen at the intersection of 40th and Summitview avenues, and two minutes later a two-vehicle crash occurred at 40th and Richey Road, just north of Lincoln Avenue, Inzunza reported.

Shortly after, the suspect vehicle was involved in a three-vehicle crash at 40th Street and Englewood, disabling the suspects' SUV, police said.

At that point, the suspects fled on foot, with the driver and two passengers apprehended in the area by SWAT team members and police officers, Inzunza reported. The suspects suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the collisions, she added.

The driver was charged with drive-by shooting, eluding, two counts of vehicular assault and two counts of hit-and-run, Inzunza said. Both passengers were charged with drive-by shootings.

Information about other drivers and passengers involved in the two crashes was not available as of 5 p.m. Sunday.

The incident was still under investigation and 40th Avenue, from Lincoln to Kern Road, was expected to be closed until Sunday evening. Police are asking motorists to avoid the area.