High-speed Pursuit Ends in Crash and Car Fire on Sacramento's Highway 50

On Tuesday afternoon, May 28, a high-speed pursuit involving two 16-year-old boys came to a dramatic end on Highway 50 in Sacramento. The chase culminated in a crash and a car fire on a busy stretch of the highway after the fleeing vehicle, a silver sedan, failed to stop for gang enforcement detectives with the Sheriff’s Office. The two teens, who are "validated gang members," were eventually arrested following the dramatic incident.

The sheriff’s office reported that the two teens exhibited complete reckless behavior during the pursuit, even live streaming themselves on Instagram while attempting to evade the authorities. This behavior, according to Sgt. Amar Gandhi, a spokesperson for the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, underscores the dangerous nature of the individuals involved in the incident.

Details of the Pursuit

The pursuit, which lasted approximately 10 minutes, began near Broadway and 37th Street in Sacramento’s North Oak Park neighborhood. The fleeing car, not reported as stolen, reached high speeds and was involved in collisions with two other vehicles before ultimately catching fire near Fifth and X streets on Highway 50. The teenagers attempted to escape on foot, but were quickly apprehended after jumping off a freeway embankment.

Although the names of the arrested teens were not disclosed due to their status as minors, they are expected to face charges related to illegal firearm possession and felony evading of police. Additionally, they will undergo medical examination to ensure they did not sustain any injuries before being booked at the Sacramento County Juvenile Hall.

Sgt. Amar Gandhi emphasized the gravity of the situation, highlighting the potential danger posed by the actions of the teens. He stressed the importance of addressing non-moving violations in order to prevent such incidents, describing the pursuit as a real-life video game to the teenagers, who seemed to trivialize the seriousness of their actions. Despite the intensity of the pursuit and the subsequent car fire, no injuries were reported as a result of the incident.