Video footage has captured the moment a passenger in a stolen BMW cried out for help after the driver smashed the powerful sedan during a police chase, trapping him inside.
A dramatic police chase in Long Beach, California ended in chaos on Monday evening when the suspected car thief crashed the stolen BMW before going airborne and smashing into three parked vehicles.
The driver attempted to flee the scene on foot while the passenger of the stolen car can be heard wailing from inside the vehicle, telling officers, 'I can't, I'm hurt.'
The high-speed pursuit came to a violent conclusion just before 5:30pm when the driver of the allegedly stolen vehicle ran a red light at the intersection of 4th Street and Cherry Avenue - a typically bustling area with trendy shops and dining options.
'It was like a Michael Bay explosion,' witness Bash Lopez, who narrowly escaped the accident told KTLA, referencing the Transformers movie. 'It was huge, cars were flying, I didn't see a way that people could get away from that not being hurt.'
A dramatic police chase in Long Beach, California ended in chaos on Monday evening when the suspected car thief crashed the stolen BMW before going airborne and smashing into three parked vehicles
The high-speed pursuit came to a violent conclusion just before 5:30pm when the driver of the allegedly stolen vehicle ran a red light at the intersection of 4th Street and Cherry Avenue
Long Beach Fire Department officials were called to the scene to extricate the trapped suspect as crowds of onlookers gathered to watch the dramatic rescue unfold
The powerful sedan collided with a passenger car traveling southbound, causing a chain reaction that damaged three parked vehicles.
Footage obtained by KTLA shows the aftermath of the crash, with police approaching the mangled BMW with guns drawn.
Long Beach Fire Department officials were called to the scene to extricate the trapped suspect as crowds of onlookers gathered to watch the dramatic rescue unfold.
According to the Long Beach Police Department, the male driver initially attempted to flee on foot but was apprehended shortly after in the 2000 block of Florida Street.
The driver attempted to flee the scene on foot while the passenger of the stolen car can be heard wailing from inside the vehicle, telling officers, 'I can't, I'm hurt'
Both suspects were hospitalized with upper body injuries and are reported to be in stable condition. Two innocent bystanders in the passenger car that was struck also suffered upper body injuries and were rushed to hospital, where they too are listed as stable
Both suspects in the stolen vehicle were hospitalized with upper body injuries and are reported to be in stable condition.
Two innocent bystanders in the passenger car that was struck also suffered upper body injuries and were rushed to hospital, where they too are listed as stable.
The area surrounding the crash site was closed off as investigators combed the scene for evidence and crews worked to clear the debris.
Authorities have not released the identities of the suspects or victims involved in the incident as the investigation continues.
Fortunately, nobody was killed in the accident. Officials said it could have been 'a lot worse.'
'It was like a Michael Bay explosion,' witness Bash Lopez, who narrowly escaped the accident told KTLA , referencing the transformers movie. 'It was huge, cars were flying, I didn't see a way that people could get away from that not being hurt'
Lopez told KTLA that 'it all happened so quick.'
'I think he saw me because we were like inches away from each other... so he swerved out like way from me, went into the intersection and that's when he got hit.'
'I was kind of reeling for another 30 minutes after it happened,' he told the outlet.