A man is dead after he stole a California Highway Patrol cruiser, led police on a high-speed chase and then jumped from the speeding vehicle, authorities say.
The chain of events began Tuesday when the unidentified man was involved in a two-vehicle collision in Santa Clarita, the CHP reports. When an CHP officer arrived to investigate, the suspect hopped into his cruiser and drove off, a spokesperson says. He then led police on a 100 mile-per-hour chase along Interstate 5 before merging onto eastbound 138, police say. That's when he jumped out of the car, striking his head on the pavement. The cruiser crashed into a pole, the spokesperson reveals.
Police have not released the name of the suspect, who was pronounced dead after being taken to a nearby hospital. His motive for stealing the cruiser is unclear.
What possible excuse could the officer give for allowing his cruiser to be stolen?
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