Police Chase That Started in El Cerrito Ends with a Fatality in Oakland

By Bay City News Service

A 19-year-old passenger was killed in a car fleeing from police in Oakland early Saturday, and another person involved in the crash who fled the scene is outstanding, California Highway Patrol officers said.

El Cerrito police officers requested backup from the CHP around 2:25 a.m. to pursue a stolen red GMC Yukon heading west onto interstate Highway 80 at Barrett Avenue, according to the CHP. The chase continued on westbound Highway 80 and onto eastbound interstate Highway 580 in Oakland, with both El Cerrito police and CHP vehicles in pursuit.

Additional CHP officers responded as the Yukon exited the freeway at MacArthur Boulevard, traversed some city streets and headed back onto Highway 580, this time traveling the wrong way onto the westbound Seminary Avenue off-ramp, CHP officials said.

The Yukon's location was broadcast to nearby CHP officers, who headed onto eastbound Highway 580 to monitor the suspect car, which then exited the freeway at Keller Avenue. CHP officers resumed the chase with lights and sirens activated as the Yukon turned onto Elysian Fields Drive, which CHP officers described as a winding, downhill road in the Oakland Hills.

Around 2:40 a.m., the suspect vehicle lost control in the 600 block of Elysian Fields Drive and drove off the side of the roadway, going up an embankment and rolling onto the driver's side. The Yukon then hit a tree, rolled back onto its wheels before coming to a stop, according to the CHP.

Two of the car's eight occupants were ejected during the crash. One, a 19-year-old man who has not been named, suffered major injuries. He was later pronounced dead. A teenage girl who was also thrown from the car suffered a broken arm and a 19-year-old San Leandro man inside the car suffered moderate injuries, while three other passengers had minor injuries.

Some of those passengers were arrested, while others were taken to a local hospital. Two of the car's occupants fled the scene of the crash. One was taken into custody while the other remains at large, according to the CHP.

It is unclear whether the outstanding suspect was the driver of the stolen vehicle, CHP Officer James Evans said. Both CHP and Oakland police officers are investigating the incident and are attempting to locate the missing suspect.

Patch editor's note: El Cerrito police Sgt. David Wentworth told Patch Saturday night that the vehicle was first spotted by El Cerrito police about 2:22 a.m. going north on San Pablo Avenue near MacDonald Avenue. The vehicle refused to stop and fled eastbound on I-80 before exiting at San Pablo Dam Road and getting back on the freeway in the opposite direction, he said.

Three El Cerrito police vehicles were involved in the chase, which was relinquished to the CHP at the Maze, Wentworth said.

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