Fleeing driver arrested after fatal South Bay police chase
Woman dead following South Bay police chase
Authorities in the South Bay are investigating a collision that left one woman dead and two others injured early Sunday morning after they say a reckless driver attempted to evade police.
SAN JOSE, Calif. - Authorities in the South Bay are investigating a collision that left one woman dead and two others injured early Sunday morning after they say a reckless driver attempted to evade police.
The fatal crash, which occurred at the intersection of Naglee and Park Avenue in San Jose's Rose Garden neighborhood, began minutes earlier in the neighboring city of Santa Clara.
The chase
What we know:
According to the Santa Clara Police Department, officers first spotted a tan Buick driving erratically just after midnight.
"The officer observed the vehicle driving over the median and at one point in time, going on the wrong side of the road," said Lt. Eric Lagergren of the Santa Clara Police Department.
When the officer attempted to initiate a traffic stop, the driver refused to pull over and sped away, prompting police to give chase. The pursuit traveled down Stevens Creek Boulevard, transitioned onto Interstate 880, and exited into San Jose.
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The fatal collision
Dig deeper:
The chase came to a violent end when the fleeing suspect entered a San Jose intersection and disregarded traffic signals.
"As the vehicle was fleeing from Santa Clara officers, it ran a red light and at that time struck a vehicle in the intersection," Lagergren said. "After striking that vehicle, the vehicle struck a pole as well."
The impact proved fatal for a woman riding as a passenger in the suspect's Buick. She was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the Buick survived but sustained serious injuries.
Two women riding in the vehicle that was struck by the suspect were transported to a local hospital. Authorities stated that their injuries are non-life-threatening and they are expected to survive.
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The collision occurred near a museum, school, and restaurant, drawing immediate concern from community members.
"I rushed over here and luckily the employees were OK," said Mark Angelopoulos, co-owner of Campus Burgers. "The building was fine, but then we saw what actually happened... It's sad to just see what happened. You never want anybody to lose their life no matter what they did."
Because the final collision occurred within San Jose city limits, the San Jose Police Department has taken over the primary investigation into the crash.
Santa Clara Police confirmed that the driver of the Buick has been taken into custody, though he is still receiving medical treatment. The identity of the woman who was killed is being withheld pending notification of next of kin by the Santa Clara County Medical Examiner's Office.
Santa Clara Police representatives stated that the department maintains a strict vehicle pursuit policy, and internal investigators are reviewing the incident as part of standard procedure.
The Source: This report was written based on information from the Santa Clara Police Department and interviews with community members.