A man driving a stolen Tesla entered the Pacific Ocean beach walk in San Diego on Monday and hit a woman. The incident occurred at 12:40 PM at the intersection of Thomas and Reed streets, and the 25-year-old woman was taken to the hospital due to severe injuries.
Details of the Incident and Chase
Around 12:20 PM, San Diego police officers responded to a report of a stolen Tesla that its owner was tracking. About 10 minutes later, officers identified the Tesla moving south on Mission Street. Their attempt to stop the driver was unsuccessful, and a chase began. During the chase, the driver collided with a transformer belonging to San Diego Gas and Electric and continued towards the Pacific Ocean beach walk.
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Witness Testimonies
Various witnesses observed the incident. Miguel Val, a bystander, said: "I just heard sounds, like something hitting something, and it was clear that he hit a woman. Then a moment later, I saw the Tesla speeding away at least 50 miles per hour." Another woman who was walking on the beach walk jumped to the side at the moment of impact and avoided injury.
Other bystanders were also chasing the driver. Alex Server, one of the bystanders, ran towards the Tesla and recorded the chase using his glasses that had a camera. In his video, several other bystanders can be seen chasing the man until he reaches a nearby parking lot and falls to the ground.
After Server and other bystanders took him down, police arrived at the scene and arrested him. The police are investigating a hit-and-run case with criminal charges. The driver is suspected of drug use. Lifeguards, followed by police and fire department officers, responded to the scene. The condition of the woman who survived the impact has been reported as stable.
Following the incident, police closed the intersection of Thomas and Mission streets for several hours. By 4 PM, the beach walk was reopened.
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