3 hospitalized after man crashes into Fresno business trying to run from police

FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – Three people were hospitalized Thursday night after a driver crashed into a business while trying to run from the police.

Officers say after turning on their lights, the driver fled the area. They later found the driver crashed into a car at the intersection of Palm and Olive avenues in Fresno’s Tower District.

The force of the impact pushed both vehicles into an antique shop on the east corner of the street, causing damage to the building and disabling nearby traffic lights.

The owner of the antique shop, George Huddleston, says the collision destroyed the front of his building and caused significant damage to two booths belonging to his merchants.

“You work really hard and get through a lot of things, and then all of a sudden, you know, it’s just like the Wild West around here,” he said. “The building is pretty much destroyed, so it’s going to take a lot to get it back to where it was. So, I really don’t know the fate of my business yet. I don’t know.”

The driver of the suspect vehicle was detained and sent to the hospital with minor injuries. Two people from the vehicle that was hit were also transported to the hospital with minor injuries.