Innocent person killed after police pursuit ends in Placentia crash

Pursuit crash leaves 1 dead, 1 injures

An innocent person was killed and another was injured following a pursuit crash in Orange County.

LOS ANGELES - An innocent bystander was killed and another injured Wednesday night after a police pursuit ended in a violent multi-vehicle crash in a Placentia neighborhood. 

What we know:

The crash occurred near the intersection of Madison and Bradford Avenues, prompting a large emergency response and a major investigation now led by the California Highway Patrol.

Anaheim police confirmed officers were pursuing a suspect vehicle when the chase ended just before 8 p.m. in the city of Placentia.

Authorities said the suspect was driving a Jeep Wrangler and crashed into two other vehicles at the intersection. Two of the three vehicles damaged were not initially connected to the pursuit. 

One person was pronounced dead at the scene. A second was injured and transported to the hospital. No police officers were hurt.

Police said the suspect was taken into custody at the scene. The California Highway Patrol has taken over the investigation, with its Multi-disciplinary Accident Investigation Team (MAIT), responding due to the severity of the crash.

Drivers were urged to avoid the area of Madison and Bradford due to road closures and ongoing investigation.

What they're saying:

A woman who witnessed the crash said she narrowly avoided being hit by the speeding vehicle moments before the impact.

"I saw a car driving like at least 70 miles per hour, and he ran the red light, so I was able to break in time.  I just saw the cops running behind him," said Maria Torres.

What we don't know:

Authorities have not confirmed what prompted the original pursuit or the initial call that led officers to follow the suspect.

Police also have not released details about the exact speed of the vehicles at the time of impact or how long the pursuit lasted.

The investigation remains ongoing as CHP's MAIT works to reconstruct the crash and determine how it unfolded.