A man trying to avoid police drove at 100 mph along a highway and then into downtown where he collided with another driver. San Diego police said a supervisor called for an end to the pursuit just two blocks away from the intersection where the two cars collided.
The suspect's vehicle, a Honda, was traveling on G Street when he collided with the driver of a Toyota going northbound on 16th Street.
Both drivers complained of pain, police. The victim was taken to UCSD Medical Center for treatment, police said.
The pursuit began near 54th St and College Grove at approximately 10:30 a.m. A San Diego police officer tried to pull over the Honda driver for not having a front license plate. The Honda failed to stop, police said.
The officer lost sight of the vehicle but another officer near 47th and Federal spotted it. He then tried to pull over the Honda but the driver continued onto State Route 94. Police said the suspect vehicle was traveling at 100 mph westbound on SR-94 into downtown.
When the pursuit entered downtown, a supervisor called off the pursuit, according Lt. Dan Smyth.
“As soon as we heard the vehicle traveled into downtown, we immediately put out the termination,” said Smyth. “Unfortunately it just took him two blocks to get into a collision.”
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The suspect told officers he has a suspended license so he didn’t want to pull over for police, Smyth said.
The original reason for pulling over the driver was not having a front license plate, something Smyth described as “about as minor a ticket as you can get.”
According to department policy, when considering whether to initiate or continue a pursuit, officers should evaluate “whether the seriousness of the offense and the benefits of immediate apprehension are outweighed by the risk to pursuing officers and public safety in continuing the pursuit.”
