LOS ANGELES, Calif. – A tragic incident occurred on Wednesday morning when a 46-year-old Colombian man, Jose David Monsalve Rojas, was struck and killed by a stolen vehicle during a police chase in Los Angeles. The accident took place at the intersection of Hooper Avenue and 46th Street.
According to the Los Angeles Police Department, the crash happened at approximately 6:10 a.m. on April 24th. Jose David Monsalve Rojas was riding his bicycle when he was hit.
The driver of the stolen vehicle, 23-year-old Germaine Smith, was behind the wheel of a gold Chevrolet Suburban. The events leading up to the collision began the previous night when a woman reported a burglary, indicating that her electronic device signal was emanating from the SUV parked at East 48th Street and South Central Avenue.
Officers responding to the stolen property report found the SUV parked outside an apartment at the indicated location. As the police approached, the suspect, who was seated in the vehicle, sped off, initiating a high-speed chase.
The pursuit continued through several streets before the stolen vehicle collided with Monsalve Rojas, as well as several other vehicles, and eventually flipped onto its roof. Following the crash, the suspect fled on foot but was later apprehended by the authorities.