A San Diego police officer was killed and a second seriously injured Monday night when their vehicle was involved in a crash while responding to a high-speed pursuit that also killed the other driver, authorities said.
Police tried to pull over a speeding driver on Clairemont Mesa Boulevard in San Diego on Monday, but the driver refused to pull over and led police on a brief pursuit before they called off the chase due to the high rates of speed.
The suspect drove away and crashed into a police vehicle that had been responding to the incident shortly after 11:30 p.m., igniting the police cruiser in flames. The officer driving the police cruiser died at the scene and a second officer inside was rushed to the hospital where they are being treated in intensive care, San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said during a Tuesday morning press conference. The names of the officers involved in the wreck have not been released.
The driver of the car that was fleeing police was also killed in the collision, Wahl said.
“I can’t put into words the feelings that come at a time like this, when we have police officers that are coming to work to make a difference to help those in need and they’re putting their lives on the line for people that they don’t even know,” Wahl said. “And last night we lost a good one.”
The California Highway Patrol will lead the investigation into the crash.