Oceanside

Five people were injured after a car being chased by police collided with another car and hit a power terminator box, cutting electricity to about 2,000 customers Monday night, police said.

Oceanside police spokesman Tom Bussey said four men in the car chased by police and a woman in the car they hit were taken to Palomar and Tri-City hospitals with unknown injuries. Bussey said the chase reached speeds of more than 90 m.p.h.

Bussey could not identify any of the victims late Monday.

He said the chase began about 9:30 p.m. when police saw a 1950s model sedan turn recklessly onto Oceanside Boulevard from Garrison Street. He said police followed the car east on Oceanside Boulevard through the intersection with El Camino Real, where officers decided to stop the car.

The car pulled to the right and slowed as if it were going to stop, then sped off, with police in pursuit, Bussey said. The driver of the car turned his headlights off and on several times, and then, after about 10 blocks, turned off the lights and left them off.

A short distance later, the car overtook and hit from the rear another sedan moving east on Oceanside Boulevard. The car being chased then hit the power box, about 100 feet east of College Boulevard. The car that was hit from behind exploded moments after its driver, a woman, escaped from the wreckage.

Two of the victims were taken by Life Flight helicopter to Palomar Hospital. Three were taken by paramedics to Tri-City Hospital.

San Diego Gas & Electric spokesman Maurice Luque said a company crew was on the scene late Monday. He said he expected most of the customers would have their power restored by midnight.