Laurel resident Flavio Cesar Lanuza is accused of striking more than a dozen vehicles late on Friday afternoon during a lengthy police pursuit that started shortly before 5 p.m. when troopers responded to a hit-and-run crash that was reported at the inner loop of I-495 near the Greenbelt Metro Station.
One of the motorists involved in the four-vehicle crash fled the scene in a Ford Ranger, which proceeded into the I-495/I-95 Park and Ride lot where it went off the road and struck a guard rail.
A State Highway Administration CHART vehicle responded to the second crash site to check on the welfare of the driver – Cesar Lanuza – who got out of his truck and stole the SHA vehicle, leading to a series of crashes.
Troopers attempted to stop Cesar Lanuza, but he struck two vehicles and fled from the area.
According to investigators, troopers from the Rockville, Forestville and College Park barracks, located the vehicle at about 5:50 p.m. in the area of Briggs Chaney Road at Greenmount Road in Calverton.