Woman hurt in Oakland crash says officers should not chase traffic violators
Woman speaks out after being hit by alleged drunk driver after pursuit was canceled
A woman says law enforcement should not be chasing traffic violators. She and a 6-year-old boy were hurt when they were hit by an alleged drunk driver in East Oakland. The CHP had been chasing the suspect but says officers were not actively pursuing him at the time of the crash.
OAKLAND, Calif. - A woman who was injured by an alleged drunk driver in East Oakland minutes after a California Highway Patrol pursuit had ended, said law enforcement should not be chasing traffic violators.
The CHP said officers had stopped pursuing the suspect when he crashed into the victim's car.
"It was not worth it because it's messing up our lives. It's affecting our lives right now," Michelle Perez said through tears from her hospital bed. "I looked to the left, and I see this car coming full speed.
Chase followed aborted CHP pursuit
What we know:
The crash occurred after authorities said the suspect, who was in a Lexus, ran a stop sign and hit her car at 105th Avenue and Pearmain Street, four minutes after CHP officers had abandoned their pursuit of the Lexus due to safety concerns.
Authorities told KTVU that after the chase was aborted, the suspect followed traffic laws but inexplicably ran a stop sign at the crash site.
"I tried to brake, and he just smashed into us so hard. I just seen my windshield crack in front of me," Perez said.
Perez suffered four fractured ribs and a broken pelvis. Her boyfriend's twin 6-year-old sons were riding in the back of her Toyota Corolla. One wasn't hurt, but the other was knocked unconscious.
Family mourns woman killed in Pittsburg crash during CHP chase
The family of Vilamalia Polina Tuipulotu, 22, are in mourning after she and her fiance were hit by a suspect fleeing from CHP officers in Pittsburg. Tuipulotu died, and her fiance was injured.
"I heard one of them say, 'My brother, my brother, something's wrong with my brother,'" she said.
The injured boy is at Children's Hospital Oakland, where he underwent surgery for a skull fracture and internal bleeding.
Perez said after the crash, the suspect, identified as 35-year-old James Jovan Thomas, came to check on her.
"The suspect came up to the car and said, 'Are you OK?' and then I said, 'Do you really think I'm OK?'" Perez said.
She said soon after, the CHP had this to say to her.
"The CHP officer came up to me and said, the first thing — he did not ask me if I was OK — the first thing he said is, 'We were not chasing him, ma'am,'" Perez said.
Deadly CHP chase days later
What we know:
Three days later, CHP officers were actively chasing a reckless driver when he plowed into a couple's car in Pittsburg, killing the woman and seriously injuring her fiancé.
"I could have been killed as well, but something saved me," Perez said.
Perez had this message for unsafe drivers: "Think about what you do, because you're gonna change someone's life, whether it's my family, one day it's gonna be yours and you're going to be sitting here in my situation."
A GoFundMe has been set up for the 6-year-old boy, and another GoFundMe has been set up to assist Perez.
Henry Lee is a KTVU crime reporter .E-mail Henry at Henry.Lee@fox.com and follow him on Twitter @henrykleeKTVU and www.facebook.com/henrykleefan
The Source: Interviews, California Highway Patrol