Baldwin Lake, CA, June 22, 2014 – The Big Bear Sheriff’s Station has released more information on last Tuesday’s high speed chase.
On the afternoon of June 17, an electronic license plate reader tipped off a patrolling Sheriff’s deputy to a possible stolen vehicle in Baldwin Lake. When the deputy tried to stop the 2014 Hyundai Elantra, its driver sped away–kicking off a police pursuit down Highway 18 towards Lucerne Valley that topped 80 miles an hour at times. The driver crossed the double yellow line multiple times before rolling the vehicle near the Mitsubishi Plant, an accident that closed the highway for several hours from Baldwin Lane to Lucerne Valley.
We learned immediately that injuries were sustained by all three occupants of the stolen vehicle; we now know the driver died as a result of his injuries. The stolen vehicle was occupied by two men and one woman. The male driver sustained critical injuries and was flown to ARMC, where he was pronounced deceased. The male passenger has been identified as Joshua McCarthy, a 23-year-old transient. The female passenger, Destiny Sanchez, is a 20-year-old resident of Yucaipa. McCarthy and Sanchez were transported to St. Mary’s Medical Center in Apple Valley for treatment of minor injuries. After their hospital release, they were booked into the High Desert Detention Center on felony charges of possession of a stolen vehicle.
The District Attorney’s Office did not file criminal charges against Sanchez, so she was released from jail the next day. The DA did, however, file a criminal complaint on June 20 against suspect Joshua McCarthy, who remains in custody at High Desert Detention Center in lieu of $50,000 bail.
According to the Big Bear Sheriff’s Station, the circumstances of the vehicle being stolen are still under investigation.
