GARDEN GROVE—A pickup truck being chased by Garden Grove police March 12 crashed into another vehicle and ended up in a residential swimming pool, killing both motorists, authorities said.
About 2:15 a.m., officers saw the driver of the Dodge Ram pickup “driving at a high rate of speed” through a parking lot at Chapman Avenue and Harbor Boulevard, said Garden Grove police Lt. Mario Martinez.
“The truck exited the parking lot onto Chapman Avenue, where it continued to drive at a high rate of speed,” Martinez said in a statement.
“The officer activated his red lights and siren in an attempt to catch the truck as it traveled westbound on Chapman Avenue.
“The truck continued driving at a high rate of speed when it was involved in a traffic collision with another passenger vehicle at the intersection of Euclid Street and Orangewood Avenue,” Martinez said. “As a result of the collision, the truck hit a block wall and came to rest upside down in a residential swimming pool.”
The second vehicle rolled over and came to rest against the wall, according to reports from the scene.
“The Orange County Fire Authority responded to render aid,” Martinez said. “The driver of the truck was pronounced deceased at the scene. The driver of the passenger vehicle was transported to a local hospital, where he later was pronounced deceased.”
The names of the drivers were withheld, pending notification of their relatives. The crash was being investigated by the California Highway Patrol, Martinez said.
