A car chase involving suspected vehicle burglars in Orange County came to a violent end Wednesday morning when the vehicle rolled over on the 5 Freeway, killing three people inside and injuring two other passengers.
The people in the vehicle were believed to be involved in a vehicle burglary in Anaheim and were driving a black sedan when the crash occurred, according to authorities.
Anaheim Police received a call for suspicious activity near Euclid Street and La Palma Avenue around 2:45 a.m. People were reportedly breaking into a vehicle and taking items, Sgt. Matt Sutter with the Anaheim Police said. When officers arrived they saw a black sedan believed to be involved in the burglary speeding away. Officers tried to pull over the vehicle, but the driver did not stop, according to authorities.
A pursuit began around 2:50 a.m. and the crash was reported shortly before 3 a.m. on the northbound 5 Freeway near Brookhurst Street, authorities said. During the brief pursuit, officers saw several items thrown out of the vehicle onto the freeway.
It’s unclear why the driver lost control, authorities said. There were no other vehicles involved in the rollover crash.
The two passengers who survived the crash were listed in serious and stable condition, respectively, Sutter said.
Traffic was impacted for hours during the morning commute and the California Highway Patrol will lead the investigation into the fatal crash.
