Wichita Police have arrested a 24-year-old woman in connection to a crash Sunday in downtown Wichita that critically injured local musician Jenny Wood, and killed her mother and niece.

It began around 1:50 p.m. in the 1100 block of North Broadway, when a license plate reader in a patrol car, alerted an Wichita Police officer to a stolen vehicle nearby.  The officer turned around and began following the stolen BMW, which pulled in behind an apartment building near the 900 block of North Broadway.

The officer turned on his flashing lights, and the driver of the car took off.  Police say it took a moment for traffic to clear enough for the officer to get onto Broadway to begin pursuit.

Chief Gordon Ramsay says the suspect crashed the BMW while a decision whether to continue pursuit was being made.  The suspect crashed into car driven by 70-year-old Maria Wood.

She died at the scene, along with her 12-year-old granddaughter Rosemary McEllroy.  Wood’s daughter, 36-year-old local musician Jenny Wood, was critically injured.

Wood is in stable condition at the hospital.  Wood’s car struck a vehicle driven by a 65-year-old man who has been treated and released from the hospital.

Police say the 38-year-old passenger inside of the suspect’s stolen vehicle is still in the hospital.  It’s not known yet if he will face any charges.

The 24-year-old woman accused of causing the crash has been booked into jail on 2 counts of first-degree murder, 3 counts of aggravated battery, driving on a suspended license, and hit and run.  Wichita Police turned over the investigation into the crash to the Kansas Highway Patrol to avoid conflicts of interest, which is standard procedure.

The case will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office for formal charges.  At last check, Jenny Wood remains hospitalized in critical, but stable condition.