Three people were hospitalized following a high-speed chase with the United States Border Patrol on Tuesday evening in the East County, the California Highway Patrol said.
The chase started shortly after 5 p.m. when Border Patrol agents tried to stop the woman driving a blue Mazda MPV near Olde Highway 80 and McCain Valley Road in Boulevard for a possible immigration-related violation, the CHP said.
The 23-year-old San Diego woman refused to stop and fled and drove through several roads before ending up on southbound Shasta Way, south of state Route 94, the agency said.
While driving on the dirt portion of the street, the woman lost control the car as she drove through a large concrete dip on the road and crashed into a steel fence, a utility pole and the car overturned before coming to a stop on its wheels, CHP said.
There were five people in the car, including the driver, who sustained minor injuries and was transported to Sharp Memorial Hospital for treatment, according to the CHP.
The four male passengers, ages 24, 25, 27 and 39, were lying in the back of the car unrestrained at the time of the crash and sustained minor injuries, the agency said. The men all claimed to be residents of Mexico.
The 25- and 27-year-old men were transported to Sharp Memorial Hospital for treatment. The other two men refused medical aid and taken into custody by the Border Patrol, which will conduct the investigation.
Another wreck involving people trying to evade Border Patrol happened in Otay Mesa about an hour after this incident. Two men were killed and a woman critically injured around 6:30 p.m. trying to flee Border Patrol agents after allegedly crossing into the country illegally.