Two Fairfax County police officers were taken to hospitals after a man stole an unmarked police car from outside the Fair Oaks Mall, led police on a chase and then crashed into three police cruisers, authorities said.
Police saw a 2010 Toyota Corolla reported stolen from Maryland in the shopping center and approached it shortly before noon Friday. Three people were inside.
One of the men in the car, Kenton Smith, tried to walk away when the officer approached. That officer stopped Smith, but another passenger, Eric Gutierrez, took the unmarked police car, sped off, and turned on the lights and siren, county police said.
Gutierrez first hit one cruiser. Officers pursued him along Government Center Parkway, past police headquarters and the county government center. Then he crashed into another two police cruisers.
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Two officers and Gutierrez, the suspect who stole the unmarked cruiser, were taken to hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries, police said.
Officers searched the stolen car and found stolen merchandise and suspected narcotics, police said.
Police also arrested the two people in the car at the mall, Smith and Natrua Mayfield-Jackson, apprehending three suspects total.
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Mayfield-Jackson, 28, is from Maryland, while Gutierrez, 30, is from Ashland. Smith, 46, has no fixed address, police said.
Gutierrez faces charges of grand larceny auto theft, grand larceny, and felony speed to elude officers, and was served with two outstanding warrants. He is being held without bond.
Mayfield-Jackson was served with two outstanding warrants that were not specified, and is being held without bond.
Smith faces charges of unauthorized use and grand larceny, and is being held on $4,000 bond.
Chopper4 images show the smashed vehicles.
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An investigation is underway, and charges are pending.
Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.
