5 Hospitalized After Crash, Driver Flees; Loaded Gun Found: Orange PD

ORANGE, CT — Five people were hospitalized after the driver of a speeding Mercedes went through a red light and crashed into an SUV Wednesday night in Orange, according to police.

Two Orange police officers were on routine patrol around 10:35 p.m. on the Boston Post Road (Route 1) in the left lane approaching Lambert Road when a speeding vehicle passed them in the right lane, according to police.

Police said seven seconds later, the vehicle – a 2016 Mercedes C300 – went through the red light at the intersection and collided with a 2017 Ford Escape that was traveling south on Lambert Road through the intersection.

“The force of the collision propelled the Mercedes through a light post on the southwest corner of the intersection, finally coming to rest in the parking lot of TFI Friday’s,” police wrote in a news release.

Police said the driver of the Mercedes immediately ran from the scene and made his way into a wooded, wet area nearby.

“Although a K9 track was unsuccessful in apprehending the suspect, a loaded handgun with a high-capacity magazine was recovered during the track,” police wrote. “Three other occupants of the Mercedes and two occupants of the Ford were injured in the collision and were transported to area hospitals with serious, but non-life-threatening injuries. A substantial amount of marijuana and drug paraphernalia was also recovered from the Mercedes.”

Police said the investigation is ongoing and arrests are expected.

Watch the dashcam video showing the collision below: