Horrifying moment thief who stole police car leaps from driver’s seat of speeding cruiser
Horrifying moment when thief who stole police car jumps out of driver’s seat of speeding car and dies after smashing his head and neck into the road
- The suspect allegedly stole a moving California Highway Patrol car after a collision
- The high-speed chase in Santa Clarita, California reached speeds of up to 100 miles per hour as the suspect brandished weapons
- The suspect, who reportedly suffered from mental health problems, eventually jumped out of the vehicle in the middle of the 138 freeway
A high-speed chase in California ended in tragedy on Tuesday when a man who stole a California Highway Patrol cruiser jumped out of the car and met his death in the middle of the road.
The suspect, who reportedly had mental health problems, stole the car after a collision in the Santa Clarita neighborhood.
During the chase, the suspect drew a shotgun and an assault rifle, though news reports indicate that the guns in the car were safe.
The chase eventually ended on Highway 138, when the suspect jumped out of the moving vehicle as it was traveling at approximately 45 miles per hour.
The impact caused the suspect, whose name has not been released, to hit his head against the highway, leaving him unconscious in the middle of the road.
The suspect jumps out of the stolen CHP vehicle on the spot
The car, traveling at about 45 km/h, then crashed into a light pole
Police officers rushed to the scene to assist the suspect
Officers immediately called for medical attention and began CPR.
Eventually, the suspect’s body was moved to the side of the road to await transport.
Despite the best efforts of first responders, the suspect did not survive the incident and was later pronounced dead at a nearby hospital in Antelope Valley, a CHP spokesman said.
“CHP personnel on site performed life-saving measures and the driver was transported to Antelope Valley Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased,” CHP officer Alec Pereyda said.
After the suspect jumped out of the moving vehicle, it continued for several dozen meters before it left the road and crashed into a light pole.
The incident started during a traffic accident. When a CHP official at the scene responded, the suspect was somehow able to jump into the moving Dodge Charger cruiser and drive off.
The officer had briefly exited his vehicle to check on one of the victims of the first accident when the suspect jumped into his car and drove away.
He fled north on the 5 Freeway, traveling at speeds of 100 miles per hour at points during the chase, before switching to the eastbound 138.