Man shot after allegedly driving at Englewood police; 2 hurt in crash after pursuit

Heather Willard
·2 min read
3

DENVER (KDVR) — Several law enforcement agencies responded to the intersection of Santa Fe Drive (Highway 85) and West Mineral Avenue on Monday for a three-vehicle crash that started when Englewood police fired at a suspect allegedly driving directly toward the officers.

At about 1:15 p.m., Englewood police reported that the department was involved in a shooting at about 11:12 a.m. near 3325 S. Santa Fe Drive. The department said this prompted a chase that went south on Santa Fe before the suspect crashed at West Mineral Avenue.

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Englewood police provided further details at about 3:15 p.m. The agency said it was at the location to investigate a suspicious incident involving a man and a woman. The location has been an area of focus due to recent ongoing investigations, according to the agency.

While trying to contact the suspects, the driver of an unidentified vehicle allegedly did not comply with officer orders and instead drove at the officers, who fired their weapons “in self-defense,” according to Englewood police. The department reported that officers did not know if the driver was struck or not at that point, but the driver fled south on Santa Fe Drive as officers pursued.

At the end of the pursuit, the driver was traveling south, against the flow of traffic in the northbound lanes of Santa Fe Drive, and crashed into two vehicles at Mineral Avenue, hospitalizing two people with minor injuries, police said.

Police identified the driver of the suspect vehicle as David Sonsalla. He was transported to a hospital with a single gunshot wound and has since been released. He will remain in custody at the Arapahoe County Detention Facility. Charges will be finalized when the investigation is completed.

A woman was taken into custody at the original scene and was also to be held at the Arapahoe County Detention Facility on unrelated warrants.

All eastbound lanes of West Mineral Avenue were closed as of noon, and police told FOX31 that the agency anticipated that those lanes were going to be closed for a while. Police were directing traffic at the intersection. At 5:41 p.m., authorities reported the roadway was completely reopened.

The crash location is near Cooley Lake and McLellen Reservoir.

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