Loop 202 Red Mountain Freeway reopens in Mesa after police matter

PHOENIX – The eastbound lanes of the Loop 202 Red Mountain Freeway were closed in Mesa for about three hours on Wednesday afternoon because of a law enforcement matter, authorities said.

A Mesa police spokesman told KTAR News 92.3 FM the chase started when Apache Junction officers attempted to stop a vehicle with false plates and the suspect fled westbound to the Loop 202.

The suspect then rammed a trooper at Dobson Road and Loop 202 before getting on the freeway again before ultimately crashing with another trooper near Country Club Drive, police said.

A trooper suffered minor injuries and the suspect was transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

The highway was initially closed in both directions at Stapley Drive around 1 p.m. Westbound traffic soon resumed, and the eastbound closure was moved to Country Club Drive, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

The freeway reopened at about 4:30 p.m., ADOT said.

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