Mesa police pursuit ends in multi-vehicle crash, forced westbound Loop 202 closure in Phoenix

A Mesa police pursuit ended in a multi-vehicle crash that shut down the westbound lanes of Loop 202 Red Mountain at the “Mini Stack” interchange in Phoenix on Monday afternoon, authorities said.

The section of freeway was announced as reopened around 7 p.m.

Mesa police said officers responded to reports of a man slumped over the steering wheel of a vehicle near Dobson Road and U.S. 60 just after 2 p.m.

When officers found the vehicle near Dobson Road and University Drive and tried to stop the driver, they fled. Police described their driving as traveling at “a high rate of speed in a reckless manner.”

A pursuit was initiated.

The vehicle continued westbound on Loop 202, where a multi-vehicle crash occurred involving the suspect vehicle, a police vehicle and several uninvolved motorists near 24th Street in Phoenix, according to Mesa police.

The unidentified adult male suspect was taken into custody at the scene. He has not been identified.

One officer had was taken to the hospital for minor injuries. The suspect was also hospitalized with minor injuries. No other motorists were injured, police said.

The lanes closed near milepost 1, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation. Westbound Loop 202 traffic was being diverted off the freeway at 24th Street.

David Iversen and Damon Allred contributed to this report.

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