People on Sidewalk Hit by Stolen Car Fleeing Police

A 49-year-old man was in critical condition Thursday at Long Beach Memorial Hospital after a motorist struck him and a woman while being pursued by police in a car chase Wednesday, authorities said.

Richard Nolbert suffered massive injuries to his head and chest and four broken limbs after he was hit and thrown into the air by a car in the 1800 block of Olive Avenue, authorities said. Herberta Alvarado, 69, suffered minor injuries to her leg and hip, said Long Beach police spokeswoman Maria Lopez.

Changa Jones, 24, of Long Beach was later arrested on charges of parole violation, attempted murder, felony hit-and-run, felony evading and auto theft. The chase began about noon when two men flagged down a Long Beach patrol officer and said they had been following a stolen car from Montebello, police said.

The men said they had seen a man jump over the fence of an auto detail shop and drive off in a car, Lopez said.

The officer followed the car and saw it scrape the side of a crime scene lab van.

After turning onto Olive Avenue, the car clipped a building and took to the sidewalk, where Alvarado and Nolbert were hit. The car struck a fire hydrant and a tree before crashing into a van, which in turn hit another car, police said. The driver tried to run away, but was caught by police two blocks away.