New video shows what happened leading up to stolen CHP cruiser pursuit

Dashcam video shows driver involved in collision prior to stealing CHP car

A suspect who stole a police car, was involved in a collision prior to engaging in the deadly pursuit.

LOS ANGELES - A man who allegedly stole a police car and led authorities on a wild high-speed chase in northern Los Angeles County was involved in a crash prior to the deadly chase.

New video shared with FOX 11 shows the suspect driving recklessly in a red sedan on the 5 Freeway in Castaic. The car crashes into the median divider, it then sideswipes a semi-truck then crashes again into the median divider. The suspect, who has not been identified, jumps out of the vehicle and jumps over the median divider.

According to the California Highway Patrol, an officer responded to the area shortly after the collision. The officer and the patrol vehicle were on the right shoulder of the freeway when the suspect somehow managed to jump in and drive off in the patrol car.

Suspect seen driving recklessly before stealing CHP cruiser

The driver who led the California Highway Patrol on a police chase in a stolen cruiser was caught on video before the chase driving recklessly, wrecking another car before stealing the cruiser.

He led authorities on a wild high-speed pursuit going northbound on the 5 Freeway. The chase came to a dramatic end on the eastbound lanes of the 138 Freeway when the suspect jumped out of the moving vehicle, which was traveling nearly 50 mph.

Video from SkyFOX shows the suspect jumping out of the vehicle just seconds after the rear tire popped. The driverless cruiser then slammed into a power pole before coming to a stop in a grassy area next to the freeway.

Officers performed CPR on the man until paramedics arrived and transported him to the hospital where he later died.

There were no reports of an officer being injured, according to the CHP. According to CHP, patrol cars are supposed to be locked with the engine running. Several assault-type weapons were locked in the patrol car, but the suspect did not gain access to them, CHP stated.