'Gruesome scene:' 3 hurt when pursuit ended in crash at 27th and Lisbon

MILWAUKEE -- Three people were taken to the hospital after a pursuit of a stolen vehicle ended in a fiery crash near 27th and Lisbon Monday, Sept. 10. Officials with the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office said it was a multi-jurisdictional pursuit.

Police said the operator of the stolen vehicle was driving recklessly.

"It was a gruesome scene," said Eric Norris.

Norris, a barber in the neighborhood, said he couldn't get the images from the crash out of his mind.

"It was a big explosion, and it went up in the air three times and it did actually blow up, flames and everything. It threw her out the passenger side window. A lot of twisted metal," said Norris.

Witnesses said both Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office and Milwaukee Police Department squads were chasing a red vehicle. That vehicle made a U-turn at 35th and sped down Lisbon, toward 27th Street.

"I was hoping she wouldn't run the light, but she ran the light and when she ran the light, she hit one car and her car went three-fifths into the air," said Norris.

Norris was waiting to catch a bus at the corner where the crash happened.

"Of course the car they're chasing is going to be out of control and it's going to make it reckless for all other drivers and it could be a bad accident," said Norris.

MCSO officials said the pursuit was part of a joint task force case that is being forwarded to the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office for a review of possible charges.

In a separate release, sheriff's officials said they're partnering with Milwaukee police to aggressively take violent criminals off the street. Over the weekend, 10 people were arrested for illegal weapons or drugs.

Witnesses said the female driver being pursued before Monday's crash was seriously injured, as was a woman in another vehicle she struck. A man in another vehicle behind them was also taken to a hospital.

Officials have not said specifically what led to the chase.

An investigation is ongoing.