HOLLYWOOD, Fla. (CBS12) — A man has been arrested in Chicago weeks after allegedly crashing into a Hollywood police officer's patrol car.
The incident occurred shortly after midnight on May 20 near Hollywood Boulevard and North Ocean Drive. According to the Hollywood Police Department, a BMW, traveling over 100 miles per hour, collided with the officer's vehicle while he was driving north on North Ocean Drive.
The collision resulted in serious injuries for the officer, who was hospitalized but has since recovered. The driver fled the scene on foot, leaving the wrecked vehicle behind.
Authorities identified the suspect as Artiom Echiusciu, who reportedly took a Lyft to escape the area. Investigation revealed he fled to Chicago, prompting a collaboration between Hollywood police and federal law enforcement.
On June 10, nearly three weeks after the crash, Echiusciu was apprehended in Chicago by the U.S. Marshals Service Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force.
Echiusciu faces multiple charges, including:
- Leaving the scene of a crash involving serious bodily injury
- Reckless driving causing serious bodily injury
- Driving with a suspended license
Detectives are working on extraditing him to Broward County, where he will face the charges. Authorities confirmed that Echiusciu is in the United States illegally from Russia. Community support for the injured officer has been noted during his recovery.