Officials confirm chase with stolen vehicle led to fatal crash on Highway 101

SALINAS, Calif. (KION) One person was killed and two were injured in a crash on Highway 101 after a chase Friday morning.

The California Highway Patrol said that officers were involved in a chase with a stolen tan 1996 Honda Accord that they said was going more than 100 mph at 3:44 a.m.

While heading north on the highway near Crazy Horse Canyon Road, the CHP said the vehicle lost control and crashed into a tree on the right shoulder.

The vehicle caught fire, and officers said they pulled out all three people in the vehicle. The fire was contained by firefighters.

One person, 18-year-old Isaiah Soriano from San Jose, was taken to Natividad with moderate to major injuries. The CHP said he was the driver.

One of the passengers, 19-year-old Jimmy Diaz from San Jose, was taken to Natividad and treated for moderate injuries.

The third person, a male whose identity has hot been released, died of his injuries at Natividad.

The people in the vehicle were wanted for questioning by the Salinas Police Department and the Monterey County Sheriff's Office for their alleged involvement in crimes committed earlier.

Commander Lalo Villegas with the Salinas Police Department told KION that the group may have been involved in two burglaries less than an hour before the crash. "Our officers actually went out to the collision scene and discovered there was merchandise at the collision scene that was taken from our burglaries here in town," said Villegas.

Villegas said officers responded to the first burglary around 3 a.m. at CVS on East Boronda Road. The second happened shortly after at Walgreens on North Sanborn Road.

Police said a substantial amount of prescription medication and other items were taken from the pharmacies.

Soriano and Diaz were booked into the Monterey County Jail.