Updated: BMW Leaves I-680, Lands Upside Down Inside Building

UPDATE 2:10 PM-

A vehicle that crashed from a highway into an empty yoga studio in Walnut Creek late Wednesday night was traveling at speeds of more than 90 mph during a police pursuit beforehand, Contra Costa County sheriff's officials said.

A Lafayette police officer spotted the BMW SUV at 11:48 p.m. Wednesday as it whizzed by at high speeds on eastbound state Highway 24 near Oak Hill Road, according to the sheriff's office.

After the officer attempted to pull the vehicle over, the driver reportedly sped up and began weaving between cars.

The pursuit was terminated because of the high speeds and the officer lost sight of the vehicle.

The California Highway Patrol advised a police dispatcher several minutes later that the same vehicle was involved in a crash.

The vehicle was on the Highway 24 connector ramp to southbound Interstate Highway 680 when it left the roadway, hit multiple trees and shrubbery and landed on its roof before crashing into a building at 2363 Boulevard Circle, CHP spokesman Officer John Fransen said.

The BMW was sent sliding upside down into a studio location used by Just Be Yoga, several hours after owner Jenni Wendell said 20 people were attending a class in that space.

Paramedics with the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District witnessed the crash. Wendell said the vehicle crashed in very close proximity to where the ambulance crew regularly takes breaks.

There was a "prolonged extrication" for the driver that included the shoring up of the building to make sure it didn't collapse on emergency responders, Fire Marshal Robert Marshall said.

The only reported injuries were to the two people inside the BMW.

A male driver suffered moderate injuries, including lacerations and contusions, while a female passenger suffered major facial and neck injuries, Fransen said.

Both people were taken to John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek as of 12:38 a.m., Marshall said.

No further details were immediately available.

Anyone with any information on the case asked to call the Lafayette Police Department at (925) 283-3680.

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UPDATE 10:20 AM-

A Walnut Creek building cleaved open by a vehicle that crashed near state Highway 24 late Wednesday night was being used for a yoga class hours earlier, according to the studio's owner.

A studio location used by Just Be Yoga at 2363 Boulevard Circle was severely damaged in a crash reported to the California Highway Patrol at 11:49 p.m., several hours after owner Jenni Wendell said 20 people were attending a class in that space.

"We're just so grateful that that nobody was in there at the time," Wendell said this morning.

She was tearful and repeatedly expressed shock at the situation as she watched construction crews work to repair her studio.

A vehicle traveling on the eastbound Highway 24 connector ramp to southbound Interstate Highway 680 left the roadway, hit multiple trees and shrubbery and landed on its roof before sliding into the building, according to the CHP.

The vehicle was lodged into the studio space upside down, resulting in a "prolonged extrication" for the driver that included the shoring up of the building to make sure it didn't collapse on emergency responders, Contra Costa County Fire Protection District Marshal Robert Marshall said.

Paramedics with the fire district witnessed the crash.

Wendell said the vehicle crashed in very close proximity to where the ambulance crew regularly takes breaks. The only reported injuries were to the two people inside the car.

A male driver suffered moderate injuries, including lacerations and contusions, while a female passenger suffered major facial and neck injuries, CHP spokesman Officer John Fransen said.

Both people were taken to John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek as of 12:38 a.m., according to fire officials.

Fransen said the vehicle had earlier been involved in a pursuit with Contra Costa County sheriff's deputies, but deputies had called off the pursuit prior to the crash.

Sheriff's officials said they planned to release more details about the incident later today.

Fransen said CHP investigators are trying to determine whether speed or some other factor led the vehicle to go off the highway.

Impaired driving is not believed to be a factor, he added.

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UPDATE 9:30 AM-

WALNUT CREEK - Two people were injured when a car fleeing authorities crashed into a building near state Highway 24 in Walnut Creek late Wednesday night, California Highway Patrol and fire officials said.

The crash was reported at 11:49 p.m. at 2363 Boulevard Circle, located near an off-ramp from eastbound Highway 24 to Mt. Diablo Boulevard and a connector ramp to southbound Interstate Highway 680, CHP spokesman Officer John Fransen said.

The car had gone off the highway ramp, struck a redwood tree, landed on its roof on the ground and then continued forward into the building.

The building that the car crashed into includes a massage studio and hair salon.

An ambulance crew with the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District witnessed the crash. The car landed upside down in the basement of the structure, Fire Marshal Robert Marshall said.

After a "prolonged extrication" that included the shoring up of the building to make sure it didn't collapse on emergency responders, both people were taken to John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek at 12:38 a.m., Marshall said.

The man driving the car suffered moderate injuries, including lacerations and contusions, while a woman in a passenger seat suffered major facial and neck injuries.

Fransen said the vehicle had earlier been involved in a pursuit with Contra Costa County sheriff's deputies, but deputies had called off the pursuit prior to the crash.

He said CHP investigators are trying to determine whether speed or some other factor led the vehicle to go off the highway.

Impaired driving is not believed to be a factor, he said.

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(original story)

WALNUT CREEK - A car that may have been involved in a pursuit with area police agencies drove off Interstate Highway 680 and crashed into a building in Walnut Creek Wednesday night, according to the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District.

The BMW crashed into a reported yoga studio on Boulevard Circle, landing upside down inside the structure.

According to a tweet from the Contra Costa Sheriff's Department, a pursuit on I-680 was terminated several minutes before vehicle went off freeway.

The car ended up inside the Boulevard Circle building upside down. Emergency crews extracted two injured people from the vehicle. The two were transported to an area hospital.

The crash was first reported at 11:51 p.m. The CHP is handling the investigation.

-Bay City News, image via Contra Costa Co Fire