Car in Germantown hit-and-run crash was stolen from Yeadon hours earlier

January 12, 2012
  • Chelten Plaza developer Patrick Burns says the Save-A-Lot grand-opening event marked a great day for the community. (Bas Slabbers/for NewsWorks)

    Chelten Plaza developer Patrick Burns says the Save-A-Lot grand-opening event marked a great day for the community. (Bas Slabbers/for NewsWorks)

  • Save-A-Lots carts have a personal message for customers. (Bas Slabbers/for NewsWorks)

    Save-A-Lots carts have a personal message for customers. (Bas Slabbers/for NewsWorks)

  • A customer weighs a head of lettuce in the produce aisle. (Bas Slabbers/for NewsWorks)

    A customer weighs a head of lettuce in the produce aisle. (Bas Slabbers/for NewsWorks)

  • A Save-A-Lot employee places canned goods in Aisle 3. (Bas Slabbers/for NewsWorks)

    A Save-A-Lot employee places canned goods in Aisle 3. (Bas Slabbers/for NewsWorks)

  • The facade of the newly opened Save-A-Lot grocery store at Chelten Plaza. (Bas Slabbers/for NewsWorks)

    The facade of the newly opened Save-A-Lot grocery store at Chelten Plaza. (Bas Slabbers/for NewsWorks)

  • Photos were displayed outside the store to remind everyone of what the site looked like when dilapidated as recently as last year. (Bas Slabbers/for NewsWorks)

    Photos were displayed outside the store to remind everyone of what the site looked like when dilapidated as recently as last year. (Bas Slabbers/for NewsWorks)

  • Save-A-Lot operator Shawn Rinnier ceremonially cut a ribbon to mark the opening of Germantown's newest supermarket Friday morning. City Councilwoman Donna Reed Miller and Chelten Plaza developer Patrick Burns -- fourth and third from the right -- were among those flanking Rinnier. (Bas Slabbers/for NewsWorks)

    Save-A-Lot operator Shawn Rinnier ceremonially cut a ribbon to mark the opening of Germantown's newest supermarket Friday morning. City Councilwoman Donna Reed Miller and Chelten Plaza developer Patrick Burns -- fourth and third from the right -- were among those flanking Rinnier. (Bas Slabbers/for NewsWorks)

A vehicle involved in a brutal hit-and-run collision in Germantown on Tuesday afternoon had been reported stolen from an apartment-complex parking lot in Yeadon hours earlier, police said.

Yeadon Police Det. Sgt. David Splain said that the owner of a blue BMW 350i reported the vehicle stolen from the Parkview Court Apartments around 6:45 a.m. Ten hours later, the owner would receive contact information to retrieve the vehicle from Philadelphia Police.

That’s because 15 miles away at around 12:45 p.m., the vehicle sped through a red light at Chelten Ave. and Greene St. and smashed into a sedan with a man, woman and two children inside.

The stolen vehicle then spun several times and crashed into a tree with such force that shattered glass flew onto the Joseph E. Coleman Northwest Regional Library, a tire flew across the street barely missing a passerby and the tail end was crushed.

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The driver was able to get out of the car. He ran away from the scene toward West Maplewood Mall, dropping his Chicago Bears hat amid debris a dozen yards from the wreckage. The passengers of the other vehicle were all transported to Albert Einstein Medical Center in stable condition.

Police ask anyone with information about the case to call Philadelphia Police Northwest Detectives at (215) 686-3153, the tips line at (215) 686-8477 or Yeadon Police at (610) 623-1500.

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