Medical Emergency Blamed in Series of Car Crashes in Pasadena

A man was believed to be suffering from a medical problem when he collided with four other cars in Pasadena Sunday before police used their patrol cars to pin his vehicle in place, officials said.

The incident was first reported about 6:30 p.m. as a series of apparent hit-and-run crashes in which a car struck several other parked vehicles on Lake Avenue and continued driving south, Pasadena police Lt. Pete Hettema said.

When the driver reached the area of Lake Avenue and California Boulevard, officers were able to pin the vehicle against one of the parked cars it had hit, preventing it from moving, although the wheels continued to spin in place.

They managed to pull the driver out of his car and found he appeared to be suffering from a medical emergency and had lost consciousness, officials said. He was taken to a hospital for treatment.