High Speed Chase in The Pleasant Valley

Last night I was going to drop off some overdue library books when I saw a police car, sirens blazing, coming from the opposite direction. I pulled over and watched as instead of traveling through the intersection he (for the sake of convince I'm going to assume everyone in this story, except me, is a 'he' - sorry PCers) he pulled across the street to block the oncoming traffic in the intersection. My curiosity was soon satisfied when I saw a midsized truck come speeding up to the intersection, lights off and driving on the wrong side of the street. Seeing the cop car (again for convenience i will use 'cop' rather than keep saying 'police officer' because otherwise my narration will become too lengthy :) the pickup jumped the curb drove around the stopped cars then continued down the wrong side of the street.

The cop turned and followed. Drama over - or so we thought. Luckily, as I started to pull back onto the road I looked back and saw several more sirens coming up the street. As I looked forward I saw a car tentatively pulling into the intersection to turn left, not seeing the additional cop cars. Smash! The lead cop hit the car and basically took off the entire front of his car. That cop immediately turned left (the way he was heading after the collision) and pulled over. The second cop stopped and blocked the intersection and started direction traffic. The third cop continued on after the chase.

I sat there for a minute as the other cars were directed to go before me. Always helpful, as the cop directed me to go forward I had my window rolled down and asked him if he needed witness, "No, we're good" :)
I dropped off my books and talked to Chad who just happened to call right then. It wasn't until I was telling Chad what happened that it even registered that the guy had been driving on the wrong side of the road. It all happened so fast. Driving back I stopped off in the parking lot to get a better look at the accident and to get a picture for my loyal blogging fans (yes, I know I'm obsessed :) There were a number of other looky-loos there - but this was a first for me. I was excited that the one picture I was able to coax out of my battery-dead camera did show the tire tracks in the grass where the car ran up the curb - you can see those better than you can see the car that was totaled.

I went home and looked up the accident but didn't find it until this morning - and that was barely by chance but here it is:

Morning Report: Driver of stolen car arrested after Camarillo pursuit
From staff reports
Posted December 2, 2009 at 7:16 a.m.
Police and Fire: A man driving a stolen car was arrested Tuesday night after he led Ventura County Sheriff’s deputies on a chase through Camarillo, authorities said.
The chase began about 7 p.m. in the area of Carmen Drive and Las Posas Road after a Sheriff’s deputy began to follow a car that had made a questionable traffic maneuver, checked the car’s license plate and learned it had been reported stolen in Orange County, said Sheriff’s Capt. Stephen Wade.
When the deputy tried to stop the motorist, the car sped off on Las Posas and accelerated up to 80 mph, Wade said.
With deputies in pursuit, the fleeing motorist began to drive erratically. The driver turned off his headlights, drove on the wrong side of the road and at one point jumped a sidewalk, Wade said.
Deputies tried unsuccessfully to block the motorist in near Las Posas Road and Ponderosa Road, and the chase was called off after about five minutes because of safety concerns, Wade said.
Earlier, a deputy who was on his way to assist with the pursuit was involved in a traffic collision with a motorist who was not involved in the chase, Wade said. The deputy suffered a broken hand, and the other motorist was not injured, said the captain.
Moments after the pursuit was called off, deputies who were patrolling an area near Mission Oaks Boulevard and Adolfo Road saw the stolen car careen through an intersection and crash into a fire hydrant, Wade said.
The driver got out and ran, and the deputies caught up and arrested him, Wade said.
The suspect was taken to a local hospital for treatment of injuries he sustained in the crash, Wade said. The man remained in the hospital this morning, and the extend of his injuries were unclear.
The suspect remained unidentified this morning.

I think I like my telling better - I guess it was more exciting for me than same-old-same-old for the reporters :)

I was sad to hear the officer was hurt. I asked the other by-standers if everyone was ok and they said everyone had got out and walked away... I hope he recovers quickly.