Two teenagers led Camarillo police on a high-speed chase that ended in a dramatic solo vehicle crash on US-101, authorities reported. The incident began near a CVS in Camarillo, where a theft had just occurred on September 21st, late in the evening. A sheriff's sergeant spotted a vehicle matching the description of the suspects' car around 12:02 A.M. the following morning, according to a news release from the Ventura County Sheriff's Office.
Despite attempts to pull the vehicle over, the driver did not comply, leading the officers through city streets and onto the northbound lanes of the freeway. During the pursuit, driving with no headlights and refusing to yield flagged the possibility of impaired driving. The chase came to a stark conclusion when the vehicle collided with the center median near Carmen Drive after losing control at high speed, flipping multiple times, as detailed by the Ventura County Sheriff's Office. Injured in the crash, the two male juveniles, both 17-year-olds from Camarillo and Somis, respectively, were promptly administered medical aid at the scene, with the Camarillo Police Department statement noting that one of the teens had to be later transported to the Children's Hospital Los Angeles in critical condition.
The California Highway Patrol took over the investigation of the incident, which forced a closure of the affected portion of the freeway until early morning. The passenger, following medical treatment, was released while the driver remains hospitalized in critical condition. Sergeant Thomas Miller of the Camarillo Police Department emphasized the severity of the incident, and the aftermath saw the freeway closed until prior to 6:00 A.M.
Authorities are now appealing to the public for further information to assist with the ongoing investigation. Detective Riordan of the Camarillo Investigations Unit can be reached at 805-388-5120, as per the news release. Witnesses to the incident or those with further knowledge are encouraged to come forward.
