The stolen vehicle then pinballed off several other cars, losing a front wheel, before coming to a grinding halt on Anderson Street off Mount Airy Avenue.

The 18-year-old driver, who was dressed in preppy-style clothing typical of a school uniform, tried to limp away but was caught by police, a witness said.

The woman, who was not identified, suffered fractures and was in stable condition at Albert Einstein Medical Center, police said.

The teenager, also not identified, faces charges of assault, car theft, and other offenses, police said.

Bob Brown said he was in the passenger seat of his girlfriend's car about 8:30 a.m. when they stopped at the intersection, a four-way stop. In the opposite lane on Mount Airy Avenue, stopped on the other side of Anderson, was the woman in a Toyota.

Brown said both vehicles started to move into the intersection when he noticed the SUV racing down Anderson, pursued by police.

"The guy was moving. He had to be doing 50 [m.p.h.]," Brown said, "I could hear him accelerating."

He told his girlfriend to stop and she slammed on the brakes.

The SUV blew past their car and slammed into the Toyota, Brown said.

"I can't believe he missed us," he said. "It was our lucky day."

The impact smashed the front of the Toyota and drove it onto the sidewalk.

Brown said a doctor in another car got out and aided the injured woman until firefighters could remove her and take her to the hospital.

He said he wondered why police pursued the car.

"It's a terrible time for a high-speed chase - rush hour, there's kids, it's time for school," he said.

"Let the guy have the car," Brown said. "It's not worth hurting people over."