A man was killed early Monday when he crashed his four-door Chevrolet into a pole and a tree within two blocks of the start of a California Highway Patrol pursuit, authorities said.
The pursuit started at 2:32 a.m. after CHP officers weaving on streets near Firestone Boulevard and Central Avenue. Officers tried to conduct a traffic stop, suspecting the driver might have been under the influence of alcohol.
The driver didn't stop for officers, but crashed into a pole and a tree a few minutes later around on Manchester Boulevard between Central and McKinley avenues. The man driving the vehicle died at the scene.
Officers estimated the driver was traveling about 110 mph before the crash. The car appeared to hit two dips in the street before the driver lost control, according to authorities.
"I couldn't believe it," said witness Lucretia Givan. "It looked like a spacecraft to me. It didn't even look like a car."
Another witness told NBC4 the driver appeared to be racing another vehicle before the pursuit. Authorities did not confirm that the driver was involved in a race.
