Erik Esparza

Pursuit

While responding to a shooting, police saw a gray Monte Carlo, which matched the description of the other involved in the shooting, police said. Officers attempted to stop the car but the other drove away. Police pursued for seven miles before the car crossed over into oncoming traffic on East New York Street and crashed into multiple vehicles near the mall. As the other approached Route 59, officers reportedly terminated the pursuit. Shortly after, the Monte Carlo crashed, and Erik Esparza, the driver, was killed, and the two passengers in the other sustained serious injuries. For context, vehicles traveling at 100 mph are traveling about 150 feet per second, and this crash happened about 2,000 feet from Route 59.