By SDCN Editor
Carlsbad, CA–A driver involved in a police pursuit on Monday afternoon ended in a serious accident when the vehicle drove off a cliff in Carlsbad, leaving the driver with significant injuries.
The incident began just after 4 p.m. when a Carlsbad Police officer witnessed a car crash into the fence surrounding the City of Carlsbad’s Fleet Maintenance Department in the 2400 block of Impala Drive. After the collision, the driver recklessly fled the scene, prompting the officer to attempt a traffic stop. The driver, however, refused to comply, leading to a pursuit.
Due to safety concerns, the primary officer decided to call off the pursuit near Palomar Airport Road, west of Avenida Encinas. Moments after the pursuit was terminated, officers saw the vehicle speeding in the 5500 block of Carlsbad Boulevard. The vehicle then veered off the road and plummeted over a cliff, landing on the beach below.
Responding officers quickly called for medical assistance and scrambled down the cliff to provide emergency aid. Carlsbad Fire Department personnel arrived shortly after and treated the driver on the scene before transporting them to a hospital. Despite suffering life-threatening injuries, the driver is expected to survive.
Preliminary investigations suggest that neither drugs nor alcohol played a role in the incident. Authorities are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash.
The Carlsbad Police Department is asking for any witnesses who may have seen the event unfold to come forward. Anyone with relevant information is urged to contact the department at (442) 339-2115.
