A violent crash at the end of a pursuit in the San Fernando Valley left the driver dead and his vehicle wrapped around a utility pole Tuesday night.
The chase began around 11:15 p.m. when police spotted a stolen vehicle in the area of Acacia Avenue and Chevy Chase Drive in the city of Glendale.
The driver refused to pull over, prompting police to pursue the light-colored SUV for about two minutes, covering approximately one mile, the Glendale Police Department stated in a news release.
“During that time, the suspect disregarded multiple traffic signals as it traveled eastbound on Acacia Avenue and northbound on Verdugo Road,” police said.
While on Verdugo Road, the suspect collided with another vehicle at Wilson Avenue, causing the suspect’s SUV to careen into a utility pole.
“The driver, who was the sole occupant, was found unresponsive,” police said.
After rendering medical aid to the man, identified as 51-year-old Shawn Justin Towne of Los Angeles, he was taken to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. Towne was wanted on a warrant and was on active parole, police said.
No other injuries were reported in the incident.
