Tragedy struck in the South Bay yesterday morning when a pursuit involving a stolen vehicle ended in fatal consequences for one juvenile and injuries for three others. KTVU reports that the incident began in Cupertino, where Santa Clara County Sheriff's Deputies attempted to pull over a white Hyundai Elantra on South De Anza Boulevard and Stevens Creek Boulevard.
The attempt quickly escalated into a chase after the juvenile driver, clad in a hooded sweater and face mask, chose to flee rather than yield the allegedly stolen vehicle, leading deputies on a pursuit that came to a grim conclusion in Saratoga around 3 a.m. The San Francisco Chronicle details that the driver lost control, slamming the car into a tree near Saratoga Los Gatos Road and Via Colina.
As authorities surveyed the wreckage, they discovered that one male passenger had not survived the crash and was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the vehicle had attempted to escape the area following the crash but was apprehended by the deputies shortly after with an unloaded firearm magazine found in the vicinity.
The ordeal did not end with the capture of the driver, as two female passengers were also involved in the accident, both juveniles who required medical attention, with one reported to be in stable condition, while the driver and another passenger, according to officials, were being treated for non-life-threatening injuries. The driver, whose actions precipitated this string of events, is set to be booked into Santa Clara County Juvenile Hall on a litany of charges, including vehicular manslaughter, felony evasion, and possession of a stolen vehicle, the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office clarified in a press release.
