ANAHEIM, Calif. — A high-speed police pursuit turned deadly early Wednesday morning when a vehicle carrying five burglary suspects crashed on the northbound 5 Freeway in Anaheim, leaving three people dead and two others critically injured.
The incident began around 2:45 a.m. when Anaheim Police officers responded to reports of suspicious activity near Malboro Avenue, close to Euclid Street and La Palma Avenue. According to Sgt. Matt Sutter of the Anaheim Police Department, officers arrived to find individuals actively removing parts from a parked vehicle. When officers attempted to intervene, the suspects fled the scene in a black sedan, accelerating at a dangerously high speed.
The pursuit was brief but intense. It came to a catastrophic end near Brookhurst Street at approximately 3:00 a.m., when the driver lost control of the vehicle. The car careened off the freeway and slammed into an embankment, coming to rest against a pole. Footage from AIR7 captured the aftermath, showing the vehicle mangled beyond recognition—metal twisted, windows shattered, and debris scattered across the shoulder.
Of the five individuals inside the car, three were pronounced dead at the scene. The two surviving occupants were rushed to a local hospital—one in critical condition, the other in stable condition, authorities confirmed. Their identities have not yet been released pending notification of next of kin.
Miraculously, no other vehicles or bystanders were involved or injured in the crash.
The incident caused a major disruption to morning traffic. All northbound lanes of the 5 Freeway were initially shut down, creating significant delays for early commuters. By mid-morning, the carpool and far-left lane were reopened, but officials stated that the remaining lanes would likely stay closed for several hours as the investigation and cleanup continued.
The Anaheim Police Department and California Highway Patrol are jointly investigating the incident. Authorities are working to determine the exact sequence of events, including whether the suspects may have had any outstanding warrants or were linked to other crimes in the area.
This tragedy serves as a stark reminder of the dangers involved in high-speed pursuits and the irreversible consequences that can result from fleeing law enforcement.
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