Updated at 3:55 p.m. to show Wardlow Road now open to through traffic.
UPDATE | A motorist who was hospitalized after crashing into a fire hydrant in front of an East Long Beach school Sunday afternoon hit a police car before fleeing in a suspected stolen vehicle, authorities said.
The unidentified female suspect, who sustained non-life threatening injuries, was also taken into custody, said Long Beach police spokeswoman Arantxa Chavarria.
Officials said police first spotted the vehicle in the 300 block of Bellflower Boulevard when they were dispatched at 12:45 p.m. for a stolen vehicle call.
When an officer arrived and began to approach the vehicle on foot, the suspect reversed the vehicle toward the officer and his police car, Chavarria said.
She then allegedly struck the police car and fled the area.
Police pursued the suspect for about 5 miles until she sheared off a fire hydrant and rolled over near Woodruff Avenue and E. Wardlow Road, in front of Marshall Academy of the Arts. Wardlow is now open to through traffic following the investigation.
No officers were injured.
PREVIOUSLY: Vehicle involved in police chase crashes into fire hydrant, rolls over
7/29/18 at 1:30 p.m. | A vehicle involved in a police pursuit in East Long Beach crashed into a fire hydrant and rolled over, briefly trapping its female motorist Sunday afternoon, authorities said.
The woman, who was the sole occupant of the vehicle, was extricated by firefighters and transported to a local trauma center, according to Long Beach Fire Battalion Chief Mike Crewes. The extent of her injuries is unclear.
The incident was reported at 12:51 p.m. near E. Wardlow Road and Ocana Avenue in front of Marshall Academy of the Arts, according to Long Beach Fire Department spokesman Jake Heflin.
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The crash left nearly 50 yards worth of debris along the school’s property and a flooded street. Wardlow Road, between Woodruff Avenue and Bellflower Boulevard, including side streets, remain closed as police investigate the crime scene.
It is unclear what sparked the pursuit.
We will update this story as more information becomes available.
Tim Grobaty contributed to this report.