1 dead in police chase that ended after car crashed into building

<p>A police car chase turned deadly in Union County Sunday after a suspect crashed a car into a building, police said.</p>

News 12 Staff

Nov 20, 2017, 3:07 AM

Updated 2,357 days ago

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The Union Township Police Department and the Union County Prosecutor's Office are investigating a police chase that ended in a crash, killing a fleeing shoplifting suspect.
Authorities have not yet identified the man.
Officials said a manager alerted two off-duty police officers that the man appeared to be taking hundreds of dollars worth of over-the-counter medicine from the Target store in Union Township around 4 p.m. Sunday. Authorities said that when the officers attempted to arrest the man in the parking lot, he tried to bite one of the officers before driving off in a stolen Jaguar sedan.
Authorities said after leading police on a chase through Springfield, the man lost control of the car and crashed into the Advanced Pain Care building on Springfield Avenue off Interstate 78 in Springfield. Authorities said the car burst into flames, with the driver trapped inside.
The man was pronounced dead at the scene. Firefighters quickly put out the car fire.
Neighbors said it isn't uncommon to see speeding cars ram into buildings on Springfield Avenue off the I-78 ramp. They said that a few years ago, a car crashed into the Elks Lodge across the street. 
News 12 New Jersey learned that Sunday’s incident was the second time that a vehicle crashed into the Advanced Pain Care building this year.
The Associated Press news wire service contributed to this report.


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