A man died on Tuesday during a police chase after hijacking a California police patrol car on U.S. Route 138.
A police officer was called to the scene of an accident between two cars, but when he arrived at the scene and inspected the cars, one of the drivers involved in the collision got into a patrol car and fled.
According to Reuters, a California police spokesman said the agents routinely lock the cars when they get out of the car, and it’s not clear how the suspect stole the squad car.
The agents were chasing the car at 160 km/h when, at one point, the suspect pointed a shotgun and pistol at them. According to authorities, the suspect had mental health problems.
The man jumped out of a still-moving car, which crashed into a power pole. The officers dragged the man to the side of the road, where they administered artificial respiration until the ambulance arrived.
A police spokesman later confirmed that he was declared dead after being taken to Antelope Valley Medical Center.