CHICAGO — A suspect in a hit-and-run crash that injured a Hollywood police officer was arrested this week in Chicago.
According to the Hollywood Police Department, the May 20 crash happened at around 12:25 a.m. on North Ocean Drive near Hollywood Boulevard.
Police said the driver of a BMW, who has since been identified as Artiom Echiusciu, was going more than 100 mph when he crossed over the center median and struck the officer’s vehicle before getting out and running away.
Officer Luis Diaz suffered injuries considered serious but not life-threatening and was hospitalized, but is currently recovering, according to HPD.
Police said Echiusciu ordered a Lyft to help flee the scene, and eventually traveled all the way to Illinois where he was taken into custody on Wednesday by the U.S. Marshals Service Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force in Chicago.
Echiusciu, a Russian national who police said was in the country illegally, is facing charges of leaving the scene of a crash involving serious bodily injuries, reckless driving causing serious bodily injury, reckless driving causing property damage, driving with a suspended license, leaving the scene of a crash involving property damage and failure to register a motor vehicle.
He is in the process of being extradited to Broward County, authorities said.
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