[UPDATED 11:45 a.m.] A man was killed Friday morning when the vehicle he was driving slammed into a residential garage in South Pasadena, shortly after being chased by Pasadena police.
Authorities said officers had previously pursued the driver but were not actively chasing him at the time of the fatal crash.
The crash was reported around 5 a.m. in the 300 block of Orange Grove Avenue, south of Columbia Street, according to the South Pasadena Police Department.
Pasadena police officers had been in pursuit of the vehicle earlier but had called off the chase due to the suspect driver’s reckless driving and excessive speeds, according to Pasadena Police Lieutenant Matt Campeau.
The man who was driving the vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene. His name and age were not immediately available, City News Service reported.
The vehicle ended up flipped onto its hood, partially inside the garage, which appeared to be heavily damaged, according to video from the scene.
As of 11:39 a.m., the roadway remains shut down while South Pasadena detectives conduct an on-scene investigation and crash reconstruction. No estimated reopening time has been provided.
Southbound traffic on Orange Grove Avenue between Columbia Street and the 110 Freeway off-ramp is being diverted. Motorists are advised to use alternate north–south routes such as Fair Oaks Avenue or Arroyo Parkway and expect residual congestion on nearby streets.
The vehicle had been involved in a Pasadena police pursuit which started in the area of Orange Grove Boulevard and Green Street. Officers had identified the vehicle as a stolen 2020 Dodge Charger and attempted to stop it.
At approximately 5:03 a.m., officers received a Flock Safety alert indicating a stolen vehicle near Orange Grove Boulevard and Green Street, Campeau said. The vehicle, described as a gray 2020 Dodge Charger, was reportedly driven by a 20-year-old Hispanic man.
As officers prepared to initiate a traffic stop, the suspect accelerated westbound on Del Rosa Street, prompting a pursuit that continued south on Grand Avenue, east on Ellis Street, and south again on Orange Grove Boulevard, according to Campeau.
Pasadena officers terminated their pursuit at California Boulevard, deeming it unsafe to continue.
Anyone with information about this case is encouraged to call the Pasadena Police at (626) 744-4241 or report information anonymously by contacting “Crime Stoppers” at (800) 222-TIPS (8477) via your smartphone by downloading the “P3 Tips” Mobile App on Google Play or the Apple App Store, or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org
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