Glendale Police led into Phoenix after driver allegedly hits unmarked patrol car & flees

PHOENIX - Glendale Police were led into central Phoenix on Monday after a series of alleged criminal acts stemming from a stolen car and alleged forged checks.

Jose Santiago with the Glendale Police Department cited their real-time crime center technology as the reason these suspects were detained safely.

"When there’s a car that has a stolen license plate, those readers can pick up on it and will alert us that the car is in the area," he said.

They’re one of the few departments to use the technology that allows them to tap into street cameras, get notified of shots fired, or like this situation, receive an alert that a stolen license plate is on the move.

"The car could have easily made its way through, and we would not have been wise that there was a stolen license tag in the area. Add to that the fact that they were trying to commit another crime, so, this just tacks on to this. We are very lucky that we have this type of technology which certainly helps our officers," Santiago said.

Officers spotted the stolen license plate and started surveying the white Mercedes sedan. Officers say it pulled into a bank near 59th Avenue and Union Hills.

Two suspects, Rachel Arnick and Elijah Parker, got out and went inside.

"The individuals inside of the vehicle were trying to pass forged checks to the bank, the bank calls us simultaneously as we are already surveilling this vehicle," Santiago explained.

Police say the pair left and continued driving along Loop 101. Police called DPS for backup. At one point, Arnick jumped out of the car and was apprehended.

Meanwhile, Parker kept driving and later crashed into an undercover cop near 7th Street and Indian School Road.

"We do not believe that the suspect knew that that was one of our undercover officers," Santiago said.

Parker continued driving toward 20th Street.

"The suspect vehicle made a U-turn in this area, colliding into one car here which collided into another car the suspect jumped from the vehicle decided to run from the area and ended up in this parking lot that you see behind me basically blocked in," he said.

Police were then able to take Parker into custody.

One person who was in the car that was crashed into by the suspect suffered minor injuries.

According to court documents, Arnick lives in Colorado and told police she came to Arizona and allegedly agreed to help Parker cash checks in exchange for $500.

"[Arnick] advised she lives in Colorado and recently came to Arizona to commit [sic] these crimes because she didn't want to get caught where she lives," court documents read. 

Parker, according to court documents, lives in Florida and has no ties to Arizona. At the time of his arrest, police say Parker's phone's GPS was set to Florida and that he was trying to flee Arizona.

"Once [Parker] was taken into custody, he began making spontaneous statements advising he was impressed with officers being able to keep up with him," court documents read.

Both Arnick and Parker were booked into jail. Arnick is accused of forgery and identity theft. Parker is accused of multiple charges, including criminal damage, theft and forgery.

Map of where the crash happened and the incident ended: