Yet another police chase has led to yet another death in the East Bay after a wrong-way crash near the Antioch Bridge Tuesday night led to multiple collisions.
The crash happened around 9:25 pm, and as KTVU reports, the suspect vehicle was a Lexus. At least one Contra Costa County sheriff's deputy began pursuing the Lexus for reasons the sheriff's department has not disclosed, and they tell KTVU that the deputy called off the chase shortly before the crash occurred.
Per Bay Area News Group, the Lexus ended up heading west in the eastbound lanes of Highway 160, which leads from Highway 4 over the Antioch Bridge, and the car quickly crashed into a Mercedes.
"It crashed head on. [And] this crash led to a series of crashes," says CHP Officer Daniel Gilmore, speaking to KTVU.
The driver of the Lexus died at the scene. They have not been publicly identified.
The driver of the Mercedes was seriously injured and airlifted to a hospital.
Reportedly, two other cars that were heading east on 160 proceeded to crash as well, a Honda and Dodge Durango. The driver of the Honda was unharmed, but two other people were hospitalized with injuries.
Eastbound Highway 4 near the 160 interchange remained closed Wednesday morning, per KTVU.
Police chases around the Bay Area have led to dozens of deaths in recent years, sparking fierce debate about whether pursuits should even be initiated, especially for non-violent crimes.
Just last month, a young woman who was a passenger in a vehicle was killed in Pittsburg when a vehicle fleeing from police crashed into the car she was in. And an Oakland man fleeing from police crashed his car with two kids inside.
Oakland's Mayor-elect Barbara Lee issued a statement at the time saying, "It’s a tragedy when anyone is harmed in our neighborhoods, especially children. Anyone entering Oakland who commits a crime should know that if they break the law, they will be punished. There are consequences to violence, and we must also work to ensure that vehicle pursuits don’t result in further harm to human life."
