5 hurt when Santa Clara County deputy’s cruiser slams into SUV during chase

The crash happened while deputies were chasing a 24-year-old driver shortly after 12:30 p.m. near Berryessa Road and North Capitol Avenue, the sheriff's office said.

Five people were injured Sunday afternoon when a Santa Clara County sheriff’s cruiser slammed into an SUV while deputies were chasing a suspected car thief through East San Jose.

The severity of the injuries was not immediately clear after the wreck, which happened near the intersection of King Road and Commodore Drive in San Jose, according to an email from the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office.

The crash happened while deputies were chasing a 24-year-old driver shortly after 12:30 p.m. near Berryessa Road and North Capitol Avenue, the sheriff’s office said. Deputies had attempted to pull the driver over for speeding, but he did not yield, authorities said.

At one point, a deputy hit a Toyota SUV that was driving in the area, according to the sheriff’s office. Four people in the SUV, including the driver, were taken to a hospital; all of them were expected to survive. The deputy suffered minor injuries.

The suspected car thief hit another deputy’s cruiser during the chase, authorities said. He was arrested after deputies laid down spikes on the roadway to disable his vehicle. He was taken into custody on suspicion of evading a police officer and possession of stolen property, the sheriff’s office said.