san fernando valley

Stolen Pickup Driver Arrested in Chain-Reaction Crash

Witnesses described the chain-reaction collision that spread debris for a block along Balboa Boulevard

Four people were injured Wednesday morning in a stolen pickup crash that left debris scattered for nearly a block on a San Fernando Valley street.

The stolen Toyota Tacoma was one of at least five vehicles involved in the Lake Balboa crash that left three people in serious condition. One person suffered minor injuries. Two of the victims were trapped in vehicles.

Initial reports from police indicated that one person was killed. Los Angeles police later said that was incorrect and there are no fatalities.

The driver was arrested at the scene of the crash. The passenger, who was wanted in connection with a burglary, also was arrested after officers ran after him through a McDonald's parking lot.

Aerial video showed the heavily damaged pickup and a wrecked Honda sedan in the 6800 block of North Balboa Boulevard. A city parks and recreation truck also was damaged in the crash.

Witnesses said the pickup driver was speeding on the street with officers in pursuit when it clipped another car, setting off the chain-reaction collision. The sound of the crash startled witness Samantha Sidman.

"It was deafening," Sidman said. "It was epic in how loud it was. 

"After he got hit, he flipped up in the air and collided with that car that was just thrashed down the road. 

The Honda came to a stop outside a Subway restaurant near a utiility pole. Witnesses inside the Subway said they feared the cars would crash through the building.

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