High-Speed Pursuit Ends in Crash

An officer tried to pull the pursuit suspect over for a cell phone violation and a chase ensued

A driver originally sought by a California Highway Patrol officer for talking on a cell phone behind the wheel led officials on a high-speed pursuit that ended in a crash in the Sabre Springs area Wednesday afternoon, authorities confirmed.

The pursuit ended around 2:20 p.m. on northbound Interstate 15 at the Poway Road and Rancho Penasquitos Boulevard off-ramp.

CHP officials said it all began about 10 minutes earlier when an officer tried to pull over a male driver in a black Volvo for a cell phone violation near Businesspark Avenue and Willow Creek Road in Scripps Ranch.

Officials said the Volvo came to a stop in a Carl's Jr. parking lot on Carroll Canyon Road east of I-15.

However, when a CHP officer approached the vehicle, the driver took off. He drove onto northbound I-15 and engaged the CHP officer in a pursuit. At one point, officials said the chase reached speeds in excess of 110 mph, with the suspect driving on the shoulder of the freeway.

Upon exiting the freeway at Poway Road and Rancho Penasquitos Boulevard, the driver crashed into two other vehicles that were stopped at the off-ramp. Both the driver and a passenger in the suspect vehicle were taken into custody at the scene.

Officials said no one was injured in the pursuit or crash.

Mother Jeannie Tapia said she had just picked up her daughter at school and was driving her to the DMV to get her learner's permit when the suspect's car came zipping off the off-ramp, crashing right into Tapia's car.

Tapia and her daughter were not injured in the collision, just extremely shaken up.

β€œ[It] scared us to death, but I think we’re okay,” she said. β€œWe’re alive; our car is totaled.”

The incident is under investigation.

Officials said the suspect will likely face felony evasion charges, pending the outcome of the investigation. The suspect's name was not immediately released.

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