Three people were injured in a fiery two-vehicle traffic crash late Wednesday in south Akron following a brief police chase.
The crash occurred at about 9:20 p.m. at West Wilbeth Road and Firestone Parkway, the Akron Fire Department reported.
Police said the driver who allegedly caused the crash, Bryan Hicks, 23, of Akron, will be charged with aggravated vehicular assault, willful fleeing, carrying a concealed weapon, illegally possessing firearms and numerous traffic offenses.
According to reports, Hicks drove a Chevrolet Impala away from what was thought to be a car crash. He led police on a chase starting near Donald Avenue and ending at Wilbeth Road, where speeds reached 90 mph. Officers ended the chase because they believed it was unsafe continue at such high speeds, police reported.
Hicks continued, police said, and he struck a Ford pickup truck carrying cans of gasoline through the intersection of Firestone Parkway. The cans exploded on impact, eventually engulfing the truck. The driver of the truck, a 43-year-old man, was badly burned on his hands and back and was transported to an area hospital.
Hicks also was admitted to a hospital because he sustained injuries to the leg and head. Police said he attempted to flee the scene but was found hiding behind a nearby church.
Hicks’ passenger, a 17-year-old boy, was stuck in the Impala and had to be removed by officers. The boy will face gun-related juvenile charges, police said.
Hicks’ and the boy’s gun-related charges stem from two semi-automatic handguns that were recovered from the Impala, authorities said.