A man crashed a stolen van into the Black River this morning in Elyria following a brief police chase, which started in Lorain .

A female Riverview Lane resident called police at 7:38 a.m. to report that her van had been stolen from her home in Lorain .

Police began pursuing the vehicle as it drove south on Fairless and Grove avenues, and continued the pursuit as it headed east on Interstate 90.

Lorain police Sgt. Stan Puza said the vehicle veered to the right just before reaching the bridge over the Black River, and dropped more than 40 feet into the river below.

The van landed on its side in four feet of water, and the man, who has one prosthetic limb, climbed out a side window, Puza said.

Elyria police arrived via an inflatable boat and transferred the man to an ambulance nearby.

He was later flown to MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland. The extent of his injuries is currently unknown.

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