Davis fatal crash victim was driving stolen car, police say
DAVIS - One person has died following a police chase and crash in Davis.
According to the Davis Police Department, the chase started just before 9:30 p.m. when an on-duty UC Davis police patrol officer saw a vehicle driving at a high rate of speed through the intersection of Russell Boulevard and Sycamore Lane. The officer attempted to catch up to the vehicle to make a traffic stop, but the vehicle continued east on Russell onto Fifth Street.
The vehicle hit a concrete median at the Fifth Street railroad crossing near G Street and burst into flames, say police. The UC Davis officer arriving on the scene also hit the median and suffered minor injuries.
Officers pulled the driver from the vehicle and rendered aid, but the driver was pronounced dead at the scene. The UC Davis officer was treated for minor injuries and released.
City of Davis police also assisted at the scene.
Earlier in the evening, the car had been reported stolen in Novato. The driver is not thought to be affiliated with UC Davis.
The incident will be investigated by the California Highway Patrol.
The model of the vehicle that was stolen, a Kia Soul, particularly model years 2015-2019, have been targeted at a high rate by criminals after a TikTok trend called "Kia Boyz" showed how easily they were to steal. So many Kias and Hyundais with a similar ignition device have been stolen that, in late January, State Farm and Progressive announced it would temporarily halt writing new policies for certain makes and models of Kia and Hyundai in Colorado and Missouri.
