An infant and two others were injured July 31 after a man accused of theft from Kohl’s Department Store fled with a baby and eventually crashed at the Detroit Road-Colorado/SR 611 intersection in Avon.

Injured in the crash were the infant, whose name has not yet been released, the suspect and the driver of a vehicle struck at the intersection. The suspect was taken by Life Flight to Metro Health Medical Center. None of the injuries sustained in the incident were deemed life threatening.

According to a press release by the Avon Police Department, Josue Rodriguez, 30, of Lorain, was reportedly fleeing Kohl’s Department Store in the Avon Commons after a loss prevention officer reported a theft in progress at 3:33 p.m.

Rodriguez had an infant with him and had “thrown the baby into his vehicle and was fleeing…in the car,” according to the police report.

Avon Lt. Dan Fischbach said the 10-month-old male infant was the suspect's son.

The suspect turned onto Detroit Avenue in a reckless manner almost striking vehicles. When police tried to stop the vehicle, it hit another vehicle and fled, running a red light at the Detroit Road/ SR 83 intersection.

After learning there was a baby in the car, the officers discontinued pursuit, believing a crash was imminent due to the suspect’s erratic driving.

Approximately one minute later, Rodriguez tried to drive through a red light at the Detroit Road/ SR 611 intersection and crashed into a vehicle that was entering the intersection from 611 southbound. The suspect continued travelling west and struck a second vehicle that was stopped at Detroit. The impact from the second crash caused the struck vehicle to hit a third car.

Information on the individuals in the second and third cars were not available at publication time.

The three injured individuals were attended to by members of the Avon, Sheffield Lake, Sheffield Village and North Ridgeville fire departments.

The infant was taken to Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital by ambulance.

Charges pending against Rodriguez include robbery, felony fleeing/eluding, driving under suspension, child endangering, OVI, reckless operation, hit/skip, seat belt and child restraint.