2 Killed, 6 Hurt as Van Fleeing Police Crashes
A brief police pursuit ended in a fiery crash in Mission Hills on Tuesday night that left two people dead and injured at least six others, including three Los Angeles police officers, authorities said.
Los Angeles police arrested two men at the scene on suspicion of grand theft auto after the van they were driving crashed into the victims’ van in the intersection of Lassen Street and Sepulveda Boulevard, said LAPD Officer Jason Lee.
The chase began at Van Nuys Boulevard in Arleta shortly before 10 p.m. when two traffic officers on motorcycles attempted to pull over the suspects’ vehicle, believed to be stolen, Lee said. But the driver refused to yield, leading police to give chase that began at Van Nuys Boulevard.
The chase ended about three minutes later when the suspects’ van, heading west on Lassen, collided with the victims’ van, which erupted in flames, Lee said. The police officer was slightly injured when he tried to rescue one of the victims from the burning vehicle. The arrested men also received slight injuries, Lee said.
No one involved was identified and no other details were immediately available.
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