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Clearwater Police Say Driver In Crashes May Be Carjacker

News Channel 8 photo by JIM FARQUHAR

A driver in a red pickup truck struck the side of a building Tuesday night, kept going and crashed a second time after a police pursuit, authorities said.

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By RAY REYES | The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 14, 2008

Updated: 10/15/2008 12:15 am

CLEARWATER - A driver in a red pickup truck struck the side of a building Tuesday night, kept going and crashed a second time after a police pursuit, authorities said.

The driver ran from the second crash scene after the truck plowed into the side of an Aamco Transmissions auto shop at Pierce Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue in Clearwater.

The man, who was spotted by canine units about 11:20 p.m. on the roof of a building at 1123 Gould St., might be connected to an armed carjacking that occurred earlier Tuesday night, police said.

The driver was arrested and taken to Morton Plant Hospital.

A female passenger in the truck was taken by medical helicopter to Bayfront Medical Center, Clearwater police and fire spokeswoman Joelle Castelli said.

Police dispatchers received a call about 9 p.m. regarding an armed carjacking at 201 Seminole St. The victim flagged down a Pinellas County sheriff's deputy, who then contacted Clearwater police about the incident, Castelli said.

The victim of the apparent carjacking was treated at the scene and released, Castelli said.

Dispatchers then got a call about a maroon Nissan Frontier pickup crashing into the side of a house at 513 N. Garden Ave., Castelli said. Minutes later, police saw the truck going south on Pennsylvania Avenue and pursued it, she said.

Stay with TBO.com for updates.

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