Escondido police released yesterday an edited video that shows officers firing into a small SUV at the end of a high-speed pursuit on Interstate 15 last August, a chase that ended with a woman dead. The department’s compilation walks viewers through the pursuit, the crash near the I-15/SR-163 split, and the seconds before officers opened fire, even as state investigators continue an independent review. The video release is the latest turn in a case that has drawn intense local attention and triggered a formal state inquiry.
The California Department of Justice says it has opened an independent investigation under Assembly Bill 1506 into the officer-involved shooting, according to a press release from the California Department of Justice. Local coverage and police statements indicate the pursuit began in Escondido in the late afternoon of Aug. 29, 2025, and ended when the SUV crashed on southbound I-15 near the SR-163 interchange, as NBC 7 San Diego reported. Authorities say San Diego Police helicopter ABLE captured portions of the chase from the air.
What the footage shows
The edited compilation, stitched together from patrol body-worn cameras, cellphone video and aerial footage, shows the SUV reportedly topping 100 mph and cutting through emergency access lanes to get around traffic, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. The paper reports that officers James Albrego, Aaron Palomino and Corey Montross opened fire on the vehicle after the driver appeared to lunge toward the backseat, and that 911 audio captured the driver saying, "because I'm not going in alive ... I have a gun." Body-camera video in the clip also shows officers pulling a gravely wounded woman from the SUV and providing medical aid before paramedics took her to a hospital, where she later died.
Legal review under AB 1506
The DOJ press release states that its California Police Shooting Investigation Team launched the probe under AB 1506 and will send its findings to the Special Prosecutions Section for an independent review, the California Department of Justice said. The agency also published a tip line for anyone with information at (916) 210-2871. AB 1506 requires state-level review of certain officer-involved deaths and was created to provide an outside check on how local departments handle those investigations.
Traffic, timeline and unanswered questions
Officials shut down southbound I-15 at the SR-163 split while investigators processed the scene, creating a rush-hour traffic nightmare the night of the crash, Times of San Diego reported. Authorities have not yet released a detailed public timeline explaining how the original stop or pursuit began, and questions remain about whether the driver was armed at the moment officers fired. Prosecutors and state investigators say they will weigh the video against physical evidence, witness statements and other records before making any decisions on criminal charges or administrative discipline.
What happens next
The release of the video is unlikely to quiet the scrutiny. Investigators from the DOJ and local agencies will continue collecting evidence and conducting interviews while the review moves forward, NBC 7 San Diego noted. Escondido police said they shared the compilation to give the public additional context based on what the department currently knows, and state officials reiterated that their probe remains active. Anyone who has footage or information tied to the incident is being urged to contact investigators through the channels listed by the DOJ and local law enforcement.
