Police Chase Ends In Fatal 9-Car Pileup At 2nd And PCH

LONG BEACH, CA — A police pursuit ended in a fatal multi-vehicle collision that killed a 60-to-70-year-old woman in Long Beach, police said Wednesday.

The pursuit began when a Seal Beach Police Department officer stopped a couple in a silver 2006 Lexus sedan at 8 p.m. Tuesday for a traffic violation near Marina Drive and Pacific Coast Highway. While the officer was conducting a records check of the female driver, the man moved into the driver's seat and sped away and the pursuit began, Seal Beach Police Department Lt. Julia Clasby told reporters.

During the pursuit the man drove on the wrong side of the street beginning in the area of North Studebaker Road, Clasby said.

The suspects crashed into at least eight other vehicles at 8:05 p.m. Tuesday at the intersection of Pacific Coast Highway and Second Street, where the man, identified as Chaz Lamar Long, 39, of Antioch, ran from the vehicle but an officer used a Taser to subdue him. Long was arrested at the scene and Clasby said police later discovered that he had an outstanding federal no-bail warrant for weapons violations.

The woman was injured in the crash and taken to a hospital.

"In addition to the suspects, six other occupants were injured and taken to a hospital," Clasby said.

The suspects had an infant in the vehicle, which was also taken to a hospital for observation.
The woman was pronounced dead at the scene, Clasby said.

The investigation is ongoing and anyone who may have witnessed the collision is asked to contact Long Beach Police Department Collision Investigation Detail Detective Joseph Johnson at 562-570-7355.

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