A driver who led California Highway Patrol officers on a high-speed chase in a silver Aston Martin on surface streets crashed into a utility pole and then died Friday morning after he was captured by police, authorities said.
The pursuit began at 3:15 a.m. Friday at Indiana Street and Gleason Avenue after CHP officers in East Los Angeles attempted to pull the suspect over for driving at speeds that exceeded 70 mph, CHP Officer Elizabeth Kravig told City News Service.
The man sped away, and police called off the chase, although an air unit followed the car and directed officers to where it crashed into an electricity pole in the area of Washington Boulevard and Soto Street in nearby Boyle Heights.
The suspect took off running for about a block before he was tackled by officers, CHP Sgt. Dan Keene told reporters at the scene.
The man then suffered what Keene called a “medical emergency,” as he apparently went into cardiac arrest. Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics were called and attempted to revive the suspect, but he died at the scene.
The sports car was filled with plastic trash bags with packages inside, but it was not immediately clear what was in the packages, according to Fox11, which reported that a safe was found in the vehicle’s trunk.
Keene said the Aston Martin had temporary plates and had been registered in Irvine. Investigators were checking the vehicle’s registered address.
The CHP asked the public to avoid the area while they investigate.
