Suspect On The Run After Police Chase, Crash

DENVER (CBS4)- Police in Denver searched for a man who ran from a crash after flipping his SUV while being chased by officers.

The police pursuit ended with a crash at 50th and Washington Street just before 3:30 a.m. Friday. Officers set up a perimeter and the area remained under lockdown for more than six hours during the search.

Police haven't released many details about what instigated the initial chase but said the suspect did everything he could to avoid officers.

The store manager at a nearby gas station said sparks flew from the rim of a blown tire and the driver lost control. That's when the driver flipped his SUV at the intersection while driving past the gas station.

The man said the suspect jumped out of the vehicle against police orders and ran away.

"I told him, 'Go away! I don't want you here-- go!'" said witness Patrick Caterino. "I checked while he was running, he was running empty handed so I wasn't worried about any kind of weapons, I just didn't want him coming here and holing up in the store or coming at me at attacking me or anything like that. It was just, 'Get away!'"

A passenger in the vehicle was seriously injured in the crash and rushed to the hospital.

The suspect remains on the run. He is described as a black male, 6-foot, slender build in his 20s. He was wearing a black hoodie, white T-shirt and blue jeans.