Highland Park, CA - Uninvolved Driver Struck as Fleeing Carjacking Suspect Crashes Outside Gas Station

Highland Park, CA (August 25, 2026) - A driver with no connection to a police pursuit was struck when a fleeing suspect crashed near a gas station, ending a chase that crossed several Los Angeles neighborhoods.

The suspect, believed to be wanted for carjacking, led authorities on a pursuit on August 25. The chase traveled through parts of Glendale and Glassell Park before the suspect crashed outside a gas station near Highland Park.

The woman who had no ties to the chase was able to get out of her car safely. The suspect was detained by law enforcement seconds after the crash.

Officials did not say whether the suspect had carjacked the vehicle involved in the crash or was linked to a different case. Injury information for the struck driver has not been released.

This is a developing story. Details may change as the investigation continues.

Who Is Liable When a Police Pursuit Ends in a Crash in Los Angeles

An uninvolved driver struck during a pursuit is often left with the least insurance and the most confusion. There can be more than one path to recovery.

• The fleeing driver is directly responsible, but frequently has no insurance and, if the vehicle was stolen, no coverage that follows it
• Your own policy may respond through uninsured motorist and medical payments coverage, which is usually the fastest source of recovery
• A public entity may share responsibility depending on how the pursuit was conducted. California law provides immunity where an agency has adopted and complied with a written pursuit policy (Vehicle Code 17004.7), so the analysis turns on the policy itself and whether it was followed
• What investigators and attorneys examine: the pursuit policy in force, dispatch and radio recordings, in-car and body camera video, the decision to initiate and continue the chase, and speed and traffic conditions at the time

Public records and pursuit audio are not preserved indefinitely, and requesting them early matters.

If a government agency may share responsibility, the California Government Claims Act requires a formal claim within six months of the incident. For August 25, 2026, that deadline is February 25, 2027. Missing it usually ends the claim permanently. The ordinary personal injury deadline is two years, or August 25, 2028 (CCP 335.1).

Contact Our Los Angeles Civil Rights and Injury Attorneys

You were driving through your own neighborhood and became part of someone else's police chase. The frustrating part is what comes next: a suspect with no assets, an insurer asking questions, and no one volunteering to explain your rights against a public agency.

Our Los Angeles civil rights attorneys have secured multiple seven-figure recoveries against government agencies, including a $25 million civil rights verdict. Cases involving pursuit conduct require both injury experience and comfort litigating against a city.

Pursuit radio traffic, dispatch logs, and in-car video are subject to retention schedules and can be gone within months. A records request filed now protects that evidence.

There is no cost to have us look at it, and no fee unless we recover for you.

Why Injured Clients Trust Christian Contreras Law

• $200M+ recovered for clients
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Find Out Who Pays for a Pursuit Crash at (866) 836-6588

Legal Disclaimer

This page is attorney advertising and is provided for general informational purposes only. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Incident information is based on publicly available reports and may change as the investigation continues. The Law Offices of Christian Contreras is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to any law enforcement or emergency response agency. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes, and no outcome is promised or implied.