A man was killed and a child was critically injured in Santa Ana when their vehicle crashed a car into a utility pole during a police pursuit, authorities said Monday.
It started about 10:30 p.m. Sunday when officers responded to a call of a man brandishing a weapon in the 1600 block of South Main Street, said Santa Ana police Corporal Anthony Bertagna.
Officers spotted the car in the area and the suspect fled when police approached, Bertagna said. The suspect crashed into a utility pole in the 1400 block of West Warner Avenue.
The man driving the car was pronounced dead at the scene, the corporal said. A 9-year-old girl was taken to a hospital in critical condition. Firefighters used hydraulic equipment to remove the child from the car, a witness said.
Once at the hospital, her vital signs stabilized, according to broadcast reports.
Inside the car, investigators discovered a gun, large amounts of cash and cocaine, investigators said.
The utility pole belonged to Southern California Edison, which reported on its website that 14 customers lost power and crews were working to restore it by 3:30 p.m.
