Pursuit of Allegedly Stolen Car Ends in Vista Crash With Five Injuries

RIVERSIDE (CNS) – The 18-year-old driver of a Kia was arrested Sunday on suspicion of possession of a stolen vehicle, felony evading and two counts of felony child endangerment after a pursuit from Riverside to Vista ended in a crash with four occupants detained and rushed to area hospitals.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department notified the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department to be on the lookout for a stolen white 2023 Kia Forte that deputies were pursuing southbound on Interstate 15 at 2:45 a.m. Sunday, according to Lt. Claudia Delgado of the SDCSD. Riverside sheriff’s deputies had lost sight of the Kia.

A short time later, deputies from the Fallbrook station saw the Kia traveling south on I-15 at Mission Road with no lights on, the lieutenant said.

"Deputies initiated a traffic enforcement stop and the driver failed to yield, resulting in a traffic pursuit," Delgado said. "The stolen Kia continued southbound on I-15 at speeds in excess of 110 mph."

The pursuit led deputies through Escondido before entering onto westbound Highway 78.

The Kia continued to flee at high speeds and exited on Sycamore Avenue. As the Kia traveled through Vista, the driver failed to negotiate a traffic circle at the intersection of South Santa Fe Avenue and Pala Vista Drive and struck the concrete traffic circle structure, causing the vehicle to overturn, Delgado said.

Deputies detained four people exiting the Kia: an adult driver, an adult passenger and two juvenile passengers. All four were taken to local hospitals for medical evaluations.

A pursuing deputy’s view was obscured by the Kia kicking up dust and debris and the deputy was unable to avoid a crash into the traffic circle, the lieutenant said. The deputy was rushed to a hospital with minor injuries.

The driver of the Kia was identified as Brenden Hawkins.

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