Man dies in horrific high-speed crash in Vallejo, witnesses say police had been pursuing Honda

Laura Anthony Image
ByLaura Anthony KGO logo
Thursday, February 13, 2020
Man dies in horrific high-speed crash in Vallejo
The California Highway Patrol is investigating a high speed, single-car crash that led to a man's death. Witnesses say the crash came at the end of a police pursuit.

VALLEJO, Calif. (KGO) -- The California Highway Patrol is investigating a high-speed, single-car crash that led to a man's death Wednesday afternoon. Witnesses say the crash came at the end of a police pursuit.

It happened along Interstate 780 at the Glen Cove exit.

Kailee Bullock said she was outside her home just after 1 pm. when she heard a car roaring up her street.

"Someone came up and flipped a U at our house going really fast," said Bullock. "Suddenly he came back, parked across the street, hitting our garbage cans and the car and he got out on his phone look at his phone, got in his car and sped off and from there we turned the scanner on and we heard there was a high-speed chase."

Moments later, it appears the same car, a silver Honda Civic, flew off the freeway on Westbound 780 near the Glen Cove exit and went airborne, hitting a tree and killing the driver instantly.

It came to rest down an embankment, next to a small business.

RELATED: Police say suspected drunk driver killed woman, dog living in car in Santa Rosa

Cheryl Martin was on the freeway just seconds behind the car that crashed.

"I was just getting off 780," said Martin. "I saw some smoke and then heard a horrible noise, a big bang."

A CHP officer at the scene told ABC7 News the driver of the car was a suspect in a crime spree that began earlier in Vallejo.

Vallejo police have yet to confirm witness reports that the Honda was being pursued by their officers in the moments before the crash.

It's unclear if the Vallejo units were still in pursuit when the deadly crash happened.

"I'm sad," said Martin, That's somebody's child and he died alone."

The CHP is investigating the accident itself. Vallejo police have yet to respond to numerous requests for comment and more information on what led up to the fatal crash.