Danville

5 People Hospitalized Following Fiery Crash, Police Chase in Danville

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Five people were hospitalized following a fiery crash and police chase in Danville early Saturday morning.

The incident happened just after 1 a.m. A Danville police officer attempted to pull over the car at Diablo Road and El Cerro Boulevard for running a red light, the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office said.

The car fled east on Diablo Road and onto Blackhawk Road. About five miles away, at the intersection with Camino Tassajara Road, it ran a second red light and collided with another motorist, according to the sheriff's department.

The vehicle that fled rolled onto its roof and caught fire. Five occupants were rescued and taken to a hospital. The driver suffered major injuries, the sheriff's office said.

Witnesses told NBC Bay Area Saturday that they saw a crash and a fire outside a Starbucks, where the two cars collided.

"We saw the big fire as soon as we drove up," explained one witness. "You could feel the warmth of the fire across the street. It was huge."

"We parked the car to get out, [ran] over quickly, and see they’re pulling somebody out from the car and they’re breaking glass," he continued.

Authorities added the two people in the second car were not injured.

The intersection of Camino Tassajara at Crow Canyon Road was closed Saturday morning as the investigation went on, but it’s since been reopened.

People who live nearby and saw the aftermath of the crash told NBC Bay Area Saturday that it was scary to see it unfold.

Sunday evening, people walked by the intersection to look at the damage that remained. They told NBC Bay Area that they knew one of the local teens who was in the crash and said that the teen they know is doing OK. The people didn't want to be identified but did emphasize that it is miraculous that the teen they know survived the crash.

As of Sunday evening, there were no new updates about the condition of the people who were hospitalized.

Anyone with information on the incident is asked to contact the Investigation Division of the sheriff's office at (925) 313-2600, through the dispatch center at (925) 646-2441 or by leaving an anonymous voice message at (845) 846-3592. Information can also be emailed to tips@so.cccounty.us.

Bay City News contributed to the report.

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