Feb 14, 2008 1:01 pm US/Pacific
Teenager Critical After Pinole CHP Chase, Crash
REDWOOD CITY (AP) ―
A teenage boy riding in a minivan that was struck Wednesday night in Pinole by a Martinez woman attempting to evade a California Highway Patrol officer remained unresponsive and in critical condition Thursday, CHP Officer Scott Yox said.
The driver of the minivan, a 33-year-old Richmond woman, also suffered major, but non-life threatening injuries. A 5-year-old child in the backseat of the van suffered minor injuries, Yox said.
The woman suspected of causing the crash, 39-year-old Kimberly Hoglund, suffered major, but non-life threatening injuries.
The incident began shortly before 8 p.m. when a Saturn traveling at a high rate of speed passed a CHP officer on westbound Interstate Highway 80 in Pinole.
The officer accelerated and attempted to stop the vehicle, but Hoglund failed to yield and instead accelerated, reaching speeds near 100 mph, Yox said.
Hoglund then took the Richmond Parkway exit, but she was apparently going too fast to negotiate the turn and instead traveled straight, crossed an unimproved dirt area and entered the onramp to westbound Highway 80, Yox said.
The suspect's vehicle struck a 2004 Toyota Sienna van that was attempting to get onto westbound Highway 80. Both vehicles sustained front-end damage concentrated on the driver's side.
The driver of the van was trapped inside the vehicle. Once she was extricated, she was transported to John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek, Yox said.
Her 17-year-old passenger was also taken to John Muir Medical Center, where he remains in critical condition, Yox said.
The 5-year-old child riding in the backseat was taken to Children's Hospital Oakland with minor facial injuries, Yox said.
Hoglund, who suffered major, but non-life threatening injuries, was taken to Doctor's Medical Center in San Pablo, but then transferred to the Contra Costa Regional Medical Center in Martinez. She may have later been transferred to John Muir Medical Center for treatment of internal injuries, Yox said.
Once she is released from the hospital, Hoglund will be charged with felony evasion of a police officer and felony driving under the influence of a controlled substance causing great bodily injury. She will also likely face charges for driving with a suspended license, Yox said.
The Oakland-area CHP is investigating the crash along with the Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office, which is standard protocol for any incident involving an officer.
The officer who was pursuing the suspect was not injured.
(© 2008 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
