Stolen car chase ends in crash in East Central Fresno

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A Central Valley woman was arrested and booked into jail after leading police on a car chase early Sunday morning.

Fresno police spotted a stolen car around 12:30 a.m. near Elm and Olive. When police attempted to stop the car, the female driver took off. She then crashed into a stop sign at Willow and Belmont.

Police say the suspect wouldn't get out of the car.

"She was revving the engine, trying to free the vehicle from its current location there. Because of the damage to the vehicle, she was not able to accelerate the vehicle forward," said Fresno Police Officer Chris Serrano. "At one point in time, the officers did utilize a less-lethal ammunition round, which gained her attention."

Authorities say helicopter air support allowed them to back off the pursuit while still following the suspect, avoiding a high-speed chase on city streets.