A police car was badly damaged in a crash, a stolen auto was recovered and one of two suspects were arrested following a foot chase in the aftermath of a foiled purse-snatching early today on Kapi'olani Boulevard that resulted in no serious injuries.

The 1:53 a.m. robbery at 1400 Kapi'olani Blvd. near Ala Moana Center triggered the chain of events, which ended with the arrest of a 29-year-old 'Ahuimanu man at Kapi'olani Boulevard and Hauoli Street in McCully at 2:30 a.m.

The suspect was a passenger in a stolen blue Nissan Sentra that fled the robbery scene. According to witnesses, the car crossed Kalakaua Avenue heading diamondhead, crossed the centerline and jumped a curb at Hauoli and Kapi'olani. The two occupants ran from the car but police captured the passenger. The driver is still at large.

An officer responding to the robbery earlier crashed his black Ford Mustang near the Hawai'i Convention Center after making a hard left turn onto Kapi'olani Boulevard from Kalakaua Avenue, police said. The car hit the curb and light pole, which witnesses said prevented the Mustang from flipping over.

The officer was not seriously injured, police said.

According to police, the arrested suspect allegedly grabbed the purse of a woman, 30, shortly before 2 a.m.

A struggle ensued and the woman was dragged. As witnesses came to assist her, the suspect ran to a waiting car that drove off, nearly hitting a 30-year-old man. Some witnesses said the driver appeared to intentionally veer the car toward the man, police said.

The suspect in custody was arrested for second-degree robbery and unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle for allegedly being in the stolen Sentra, which had a punched-out ignition.

The driver suspect faces robbery, auto theft and possibly attempted-murder charges for nearly nearly hitting the man.