LANCASTER (CNS) – A man allegedly stole a California Highway Patrol vehicle Tuesday and led officers on a chase that ended when he jumped from the speeding cruiser in the Lancaster area, suffering fatal injuries.
According to the CHP, officers began chasing the suspect at about 11:44 a.m. in the area of the Golden State (5) Freeway and Hasley Canyon Road.
CHP officials said an officer was conducting a traffic investigation when the suspect jumped into the cruiser and fled, sparking the pursuit.
Officers chased the suspect in the stolen cruiser north on the Golden State (5) Freeway to state Route 138, where the man jumped from the vehicle after one of the rear tires went flat due to a spike strip. Media crews tracking the chase from above reported the car was going roughly 70 mph when the man opened the driver’s side door and jumped.
The patrol car then crashed into a power pole and came to rest in a grassy area next to the highway. An officer could be seen performing chest compressions on the suspect after the crash.
Paramedics were sent to the scene on SR 138 near 90th Street West at about 12:30 p.m., and the man was taken to Antelope Valley Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, according to the CHP.
The suspect’s name was not immediately released, pending notification of relatives.
