A Carlsbad police cruiser was involved in a crash Thursday morning while pursuing a stolen car through the downtown area.

Neither the officer nor the other driver involved — who wasn’t involved in the pursuit — were injured.

The chase initially began when a license-plate reader caught a stolen car in downtown Carlsbad, according to Carlsbad Police Lt. Kevin Lehan.

An officer headed to the area, spotted the car and tried to pull it over on Grand Avenue near Carlsbad Boulevard. Rather than stop, the driver took off northbound on Carlsbad Boulevard, continuing onto Coast Highway in Oceanside, Lehan said.

Another officer responded to assist with the chase, and was heading north on Coast Highway near Vista Way when another car made a turn directly into the police cruiser’s path.

The officer, who had his lights and sirens activated, crashed into the back end of the other car, Lehan said.

The car being pursued continued on Coast Highway approaching Oceanside Boulevard, and police — who were wary of the driver’s recklessness and close proximity to the Oceanside Turkey Trot race that was happening at the time — called off the chase, Lehan said. The stolen car was last seen heading east on Oceanside Boulevard toward Interstate 5.

California Highway Patrol officers were conducting the crash investigation.

–City News Service

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