Law enforcement was busy up and down San Diego Thursday morning after chases in the North County and South Bay.
One man is in custody after leading CHP officers on a chase along the 5 from Orange County to Solana Beach, where two two of the officers attempting to stop were injured when they were hit by the suspect's vehicle. The first call came in around 4:20a.m. from a person who reported an armed robbery at a Chevron on Alicia Parkway in the Laguna Hills area, Orange County Sheriff's Department spokeswoman Carrie Braun said. The caller also reported that a man armed with a gun left the area in a vehicle, described as a black Dodge Charger, Braun said, adding that investigators later determined that the suspect was involved in a road rage incident -- not a robbery -- and threatened the victims with a gun in the Chevron parking lot before taking off. No injuries were reported from that incident.
Deputies responded to the area and located the vehicle a short time later, but the vehicle entered southbound Interstate 5 and sped off, Braun said. The driver continued southbound then exited at Lomas Santa Fe Drive around 5 a.m., San Diego County Sheriff's Lt. Fran Passalacqua said. On Lomas Santa Fe Drive, two CHP officers spotted the car and were on foot when they tried to confront the driver, but the driver sped off, hitting the officers. Both officers were taken to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
The vehicle involved in the pursuit was found unoccupied near the intersection of La Floresta and Linea Del Cielo around 5:10a.m., Passalacqua said. The San Diego County Sheriff's Department confirmed they were conducting an investigation into an officer-involved shooting, but did not disclose any additional details. The suspect was located around 5:50 a.m. near La Floresta. He was injured and taken to the hospital after his arrest.
Later in the morning, around 7:00a.m., one person died in a rollover crash involving Border Patrol on the 125 in Otay Ranch. Border Patrol says it started as a failed human smuggling attempt when agents spotted four people, suspected of entering the U.S. illegally in Otay Mesa. They got into a silver SUV and were chased by agents until the vehicle rolled over near Olympic Parkway. The passengers in the car have serious injuries.
Photo Credit: Sara Bartlett, KOGO Newsradio 600AM