National City — A slow-moving police surveillance turned into a high-speed pursuit early Sunday morning after officers spotted a stolen vehicle in National City.
Around 1:55 a.m., National City Police located the vehicle near East 8th Street. Officers initially held back, trailing the car at residential speeds until additional patrol units and the sheriff’s helicopter ASTREA were in position.
When officers attempted to pull the driver over near Paradise Valley Road and Meadowbrook, the young Asian male behind the wheel refused to stop. The pursuit accelerated quickly, reaching 70 to 90 miles per hour through Skyline and Valencia Park.
At approximately 2:05 a.m., the driver attempted a sharp left turn at Division Street and Euclid Avenue but failed to make it. The car jumped a curb and crashed into a brick wall bordering a residence.
Despite the force of the impact, the driver was uninjured. He exited the vehicle, complied with officers’ commands, and was taken into custody without further incident.
A homeowner at the crash site told SD Slackers he was startled awake by “a loud boom and the sound of police cars.” He noted his son had been asleep in a room just on the other side of the wall. “Fortunately the wall is built solid,” he said, pointing out the steel bollards he had installed after other crashes at the same corner.
The suspect faces arrest in connection with the stolen vehicle and the pursuit.
