A late-night police chase in Northern California ended in tragedy Friday when a 19-year-old driver was killed and another person was injured.
Around 11:17 p.m. on June 20, officers with the Lodi Police Department spotted a vehicle driving recklessly near S. Cherokee Lane and E. Vine Street. Police say the driver was endangering public safety, prompting an officer in a marked vehicle to initiate a traffic stop using lights and sirens.
Related posts
According to LPD, the driver refused to stop, instead continuing to drive recklessly and leading officers on a short pursuit. The chase ended when the vehicle crashed and overturned on its roof while entering southbound Highway 99 at the Cherokee Lane and Century Boulevard on-ramp.
Police said there were two people inside the vehicle. The driver, a 19-year-old man, was pronounced dead at the scene. The passenger sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was treated at a local hospital before being released.
The incident is being investigated under the San Joaquin County Officer Incident Protocol. The Lodi Police Department, San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office, Department of Justice, and the San Joaquin County Medical Examiner’s Office are all involved. The California Highway Patrol is handling the investigation into the fatal collision.
The case remains open. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Lodi Police Department at 209-333-6727
