1 person killed, deputy hospitalized in Lancaster crash

LANCASTER, Calif. (KABC) -- One person is dead and a deputy has been hospitalized following a crash in Lancaster early Sunday.

California Highway Patrol officers responded to the two-vehicle crash on Avenue F, just east of State Route 14, shortly before 2 a.m.

According to CHP officers, they tried to pull over the silver sedan after seeing that it stopped on an off-ramp on the 14 Freeway. When the sedan took off going eastbound on Avenue F, CHP officers had just turned their lights on and the sedan, for an unknown reason, veered onto oncoming traffic and struck the sheriff's vehicle, which happened to be traveling on that road.

The driver of the silver car was pronounced dead at the scene, and a passenger, a 30-year-old man out of California City, was hospitalized with major injuries.

The female deputy, pinned in her vehicle, was extricated and taken to a hospital in stable condition, according to officials from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. It is believed she may have suffered a broken leg and is expected to be OK.

Investigators were working to determine whether drugs or alcohol were a factor in the crash. CHP officers confirmed that alcohol was detected on the passenger of the sedan. It was not yet known whether the driver was intoxicated.

A SigAlert was issued for Avenue F between State Route 14 and Sierra Highway.