A stolen blue Tesla fleeing a police pursuit tore onto the Pacific Beach boardwalk Monday afternoon, striking a 25-year-old woman who was left in critical condition. The crash happened around 12:40 p.m. near the 700 block of Thomas Avenue, in one of the busiest pedestrian corridors along San Diego's coastline.
According to NBC 7 San Diego, the woman jumped out of the way of the oncoming vehicle but was still struck. She was evaluated by San Diego Fire-Rescue personnel and transported in critical condition. Lifeguards were the first to respond to the scene, with fire crews and police arriving shortly after.
Police confirmed the Tesla had been reported stolen and was involved in a pursuit before it ended up on the boardwalk. By the time officers caught up, a suspect was already in custody, according to San Diego police. Investigators have not yet released the suspect's name or detailed how the chase began.
Witnesses Describe Chaos as Sand Flew and Crowds Scattered
Eyewitness Miguel Valle told NBC 7 San Diego he saw the navy blue Tesla traveling at least 50 mph as it fled the pursuit. He said he heard commotion before he ever spotted the car. “I didn't know what was going on, it was a lot of sand flying,” Valle said.
Other accounts posted on Reddit described the incident. The vehicle drove onto the boardwalk.
Police blocked off Thomas Avenue at Mission Boulevard near Open Bar as they worked the scene, and the area was expected to remain shut down for two to three hours. Beachgoers watched as police worked the scene.
A Neighborhood Already on Edge Over Vehicles on the Boardwalk
The crash lands in a Pacific Beach community still reeling from a separate tragedy. Two days earlier, on September 12, a 14-year-old boy riding an e-bike was struck and killed by a Tesla in the neighborhood, according to FOX 5 San Diego. The fatality was reported in Pacific Beach.
Monday's incident is also not the first time a vehicle has intruded into Pacific Beach's pedestrian zones this year. On August 30, San Diego police arrested a driver who took a pickup truck onto the beach sand and performed donuts near Crystal Pier, as Hoodline previously reported. The incident highlights concerns about unauthorized motorized vehicles in crowded pedestrian areas.
Pursuit Policy Debate Resurfaces
The crash also raises questions about how San Diego police handle pursuits.
That discretion has been contested for more than a year. In February 2025, San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl rejected recommendations from the San Diego Commission on Police Practices that would have limited vehicle chases strictly to violent felonies, arguing that restricting pursuits for lesser offenses would tell fleeing drivers they face no consequences, according to KPBS. The broader debate over pursuit policy has continued.
It remains unclear whether the suspect in Monday's crash will face charges.
Community Push to Limit Cars Near the Boardwalk
The pursuit's endpoint sits squarely inside a stretch of shoreline that local advocates have already targeted for stricter vehicle restrictions. Annual PB Counts data showed that pedestrians and cyclists make up 73.7 percent of traffic along Ocean Boulevard between Grand and Thomas avenues, and the Pacific Beach Planning Group voted to endorse closing that block to motor vehicles during peak pedestrian and bicycle hours on weekends and holidays, as reported by the Times of San Diego.
Pacific Beach remains the focus of this developing story. NBC 7 San Diego notes that details may change as more information is released.
