A police chase through Bird Rock involving a stolen Lamborghini ended when the driver crashed into several cars. NBC 7’s Omari Fleming reports on July 23, 2024.
A driver suspected of stealing a Lamborghini crashed in La Jolla after being chased by San Diego police on Tuesday.
Officers responding to a report that a 2024 Lamborghini SUV had been stolen from a home on Chelsea Street found the vehicle near La Jolla Parkway and Via Del Norte, according to the San Diego Police Department.
Police say the driver in the stolen SUV did not stop, leading them on a pursuit down La Jolla Boulevard.
During the chase, at least one SDPD vehicle was involved in a crash near La Jolla Boulevard and Midway Street.
Get top local stories in Southern California delivered to you every morning. >Sign up for NBC LA's News Headlines newsletter.
Shortly after, the suspected thief plowed the SUV worth around $250,000 into a white Nissan SUV before spinning out of control and colliding with several parked cars on La Jolla Hermosa Avenue near Kirkwood Place, according to police.
SDPD says the Lamborghini was likely going about 70 miles per hour when it crashed and damaged at least five cars. The collision also left a debris field scattered down the street, which included one of the Lamborghini's tires that flew into the front yard of an apartment complex.
The driver, who suffered minor injuries, was then taken into custody and is facing charges of stealing a vehicle, evading police and possession of stolen property, the department said.
U.S. & World
News from around the country and around the globe
Tony B witnessed the final moments of the police chase right before the crash. He says the Lamborghini skidded out of control, narrowly missing a young man who was double parked, waiting for a friend.
"The kid was sitting in his car, totally shocked ... He was the luckiest kid on Earth," the witness said.
Both collisions are being investigated by SDPD's Traffic Division. SDPD's Northern Division will investigate the burglary and auto theft cases.
The owner of the Lamborghini told NBC 7 she had just gotten it about a month ago, after waiting on it for two years.
In a neighborhood filled with people cycling and walking their children, police and people in the area are thankful none of their neighbors were hurt. Though the incident did rattle some people's sense of safety.
"It's pretty crazy it's happening so close to home in Bird Rock. Our little pocket of safety is just more and more activity and crime, and it's getting scary," witness Amanda Luman said.
No other details were immediately available.
This is a developing story. Details may change as more information arrives.
