San Diego police pursuit ends in fatal motorcycle crash

A man on a motorcycle pursued by San Diego police crashed into parked cars, killing him and severely injuring his passenger early Saturday, authorities said.

The crash occurred just before 1 a.m. on Imperial Avenue near Euclid Avenue in southeastern San Diego.

Authorities said officers stopped the 25-year-old man riding a Harley Davidson motorcycle with a 23-year-old woman for a traffic violation. They did not specify the kind of violation.

During the stop, police found the man had a felony arrest warrant and informed him that he was under arrest, said Officer David O’Brien. The motorcyclist fled westbound on Imperial Avenue before officers began a pursuit.

The motorcycle traveled at a high rate of speed and crashed into two parked cars along Imperial Avenue, O’Brien added.

The man and woman were ejected from the vehicle, killing the driver. The woman’s leg was amputated in the crash and was taken to a local hospital.

Alcohol was determined not to be a factor in the collision, police said.

The incident comes amid an effort to change when the department can engage in pursuits.

San Diego’s Commission on Police Practices is recommending that pursuits happen only over incidents related to a violent crime, among other suggestions. Currently, the department allows officers ...