Frightening Video: Police Chase Crash Nearly Hits Group Of Kids

STOWE TWP. (KDKA) -- A group of children was nearly struck Sunday when a police chase ended in a crash.

It happened in the area of Dohrman Street and Broadway Avenue around noon in Stowe Township.

Officers were chasing a reportedly stolen vehicle when a van hit one of the cruisers.

Lisa Washington's Report:

The collision sent the cruiser spinning out of control, nearly hitting a group of children on the sidewalk. The cruiser slammed into a parked minivan nearby.

"I'm still shaken up, because you see that in the movies, not in real life, you know? So, it was kind of scary, but everyone seemed fine besides the officer. I'm sure he went to the hospital, but very scary," Candice Sabo said.

Tenesha Gillespie says she had just sent the kids to the store, and didn't believe them at first about how close a call it actually was.

"You know, sometimes kids can over exaggerate so didn't know exactly the extent until I seen that video, then it was like, 'Oh my God,' my heart really dropped to my stomach," said Gillespie.

John Shumway's Report:

Gillespie had a house full of visitors because her father had just passed away, so she let the kids walk to the corner store for snacks.

It's the "what could have been" that she simply can't believe on the day when she laid her father to rest.

"If she would have been a little more to the right, I don't think she would have even had time to jump from that," Gillespie said.

The officer involved suffered minor injuries. The driver of the stolen vehicle escaped.

Gillespie says she knows the police officer was doing his job, but wonders if it was all necessary. However, she does say she's relieved the police officer wasn't seriously injured.

"I'm very glad to see the police officer is okay," she said.

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