Nine people were taken to hospital in Encinitas after an ambulance that ended in a car accident

Nine people were hospitalized after a multi-vehicle accident that resulted from a car chase in Encinitas, according to the California Highway Patrol (CHP).

The short-lived pursuit began just before 08.30 on Sunday in Encinitas when a high-speed driver in a Nissan Sentra refused to give in to the authorities. The CHP said the pursuit ended just minutes later in a crash at the intersection of Encinitas Boulevard and Via Cantebria, when the driver ran a red light and made an illegal left turn.

Photos from the scene show three vehicles – Nissan, a Chevy Traverse and a Volkswagen Jetta – stopped at the intersection, all with significant damage. One car in particular had the biggest damage to the front.

“We came out and saw the accident, and we never saw anything like it,” said Alex Diaz, a resident of Encinitas.

Another neighbor told NBC 7 described the impact as high.

– We heard a big bang and I said to my son: “I think something happened at the apartments” because we heard the big bang and after a while we heard several sirens, “said Mauricio Manncilla. “Then my wife called me what just happened

The driver of the Jetta was a 25-year-old resident of Carlsbad, the CHP said. The driver of the Chevrolet was a 32-year-old Encinitas woman who had her 1-year-old and 3-year-old sons in the vehicle. Authorities did not identify the driver who was accused of starting the pursuit, but said he was a 19-year-old man. They added that the suspected vehicle had a total of five passengers aged 16 to 20 years.

Local

Authorities said no serious injuries were reported in the crash, but nine people were hospitalized as a precaution.

The 19-year-old driver of Nissan is charged with a crime that includes ruthless evasion of a police officer. Alcohol and drugs are being investigated as a possible cause of the accident.

The case is still under investigation.