A high-speed car chase in San Leandro left two dead and three injured after the fleeing vehicle on I-238 crashed into a sound wall near the East 14th Street exit, per San Francisco Chronicle’s Christian Leonard.
Around 3:40am, California Highway Patrol (CHP) tried to pull over a speeding white Mercedes Sedan on westbound 580, but the vehicle fled and CHP pursued. The chase continued onto I-238, where both vehicles tried to take the East 14th Street exit in San Leandro, but crashed into the sound wall. CHP shared on their social media (@chpdublin on Instagram) that the CHP vehicle managed to avoid the Mercedes when it crashed.
CHP, Alameda County Sheriff’s Office and Alameda County Fire Department responded to the scene. The driver of the Mercedes and one passenger died at the scene, while another passenger was taken to the hospital with major injuries. The two CHP officers were also taken to the hospital, with major but non-life-threatening injuries.
The Instagram post from @chpdublin also shared that CHP’s Golden Gate Division Multi-Disciplinary Accident Investigation Team (MAIT) is investigating the crash.
A report from KTVU quoted legal analyst Michael Cardoza as saying that while the suspect put everyone in danger by taking off, and that the police have the right to pursue, police could face scrutiny for their choices in this dangerous high-speed chase, because “you’ve got to keep the safety of the public in mind.”
