ESCONDIDO, Calif. (KGTV) - A high-speed pursuit in the Escondido area ended in a crash that killed two young people and sent two others to the hospital.
The pursuit began at about 12:15 a.m. Thursday in an area near Midway Drive and East Grand Avenue, according to Escondido police.
Police said an officer pulled over a silver PT Cruiser for a broken tail light and a red-light violation, but the car sped away after disobeying the officer's verbal commands.
According to police, the car reached speeds as fast as 80 mph as it fled westbound on Grand Avenue. The officer pursued the PT Cruiser on Grand Avenue near Rose Street.
The pursuit came to an end a short time later on Grand Avenue near Ohio Avenue when the 20-year-old female driver lost control, crashed into several parked vehicles and came to rest up an embankment, knocking down a 30-foot tree in the process.
Police confirmed a male passenger -- who was ejected from the car -- and the driver died at the scene, while two other occupants were taken to area hospitals with injuries of unknown severity.
Those involved were between 18 and 21 years old.
Police told 10News at the scene that the driver did not have a license.
A stretch of Grand Avenue between Harding Street to Ash Street was shut down for several hours due to the investigation.
