Two people were arrested Friday shortly after a police pursuit that ended with a traffic collision near the intersection of North Livermore and Junction avenues. During the investigation police placed the nearby charter high school on lockdown. Read the updates log below from our breaking news coverage for more information:
5:15 p.m. update: Livermore Police Lt. Matt Sarsfield said the incident began at 3:06 p.m. when a Kohl's loss prevention employee contacted police to report a suspicious person in the department store. The employee then provided a description of the suspect and his vehicle. Officers in the area spotted the suspect and after running a license plate discovered the vehicle was reported stolen out of Pleasanton.
A short pursuit followed when the suspect sped off, which ended when the man crashed the White Honda he was driving. Police said about five to six other vehicles were hit by the suspect during the pursuit.
After the crash near the intersection of North Livermore and Junction avenues the man took off running into the Portola Meadwos apartment complex and into the nearby Livermore Valley Charter High School campus.
Police temporarily placed the school on lockdown and set up a perimeter around the campus.
An officer then spotted the suspect running across the school field and arrested him. The suspect was arrested on suspicion of a felony hit-and-run and evading police. A female passenger in the reported stolen vehicle was also arrested on a weapons charge, Sarsfield said. She suffered injuries during the collision and was taken to Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley.
4:01 p.m. update: Police say the suspect has been caught and arrested. The school placed on lockdown also has been cleared, an officer said.
3:50 p.m. update: Witnesses say a white Honda Civic came speeding down North Livermore Avenue toward opposing traffic and collided into several cars.
The scene unfolded in front of Seema Bhatia, who was traveling northbound on North Livermore Avenue and was behind one of the cars that was hit head-on by the speeding Honda.
"The car flew in the air before it landed on its side," she said. "It was crazy."
Lavon Ramos also was driving on North Livermore Avenue toward Portola Avenue when she saw the collision.
Ramos said after the Honda landed on its side a man got out of the vehicle and ran into a parking lot that belongs to a nearby apartment complex. A woman inside the vehicle also tried to run from the scene, but was tackled by bystanders who turned her over to police, Ramos said.
Another rattled witness provides the following recap:
"That car was coming so fast against traffic . . . it was like a video game," said Sean Evans, who said he was nearly hit by the vehicle.
It appears the Charter High School on Portola Avenue was also placed on lockdown during the investigation. Police on scene said the man was found and arrested shortly after the collision.
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Emergency crews are on scene investigating a collision involving multiple vehicles near the intersection of North Livermore and Junction avenues.
Initial reports say officers were pursuing a person riding in a stolen vehicle. After the collision the suspect ran from the scene.
Injuries are unknown at this time.
Livermore Patch is on scene and will update as more information is made available.
My hat's off to those who took the guy down. He could have killed somebody on the street or in that school. I applaud you.