Stolen vehicle driver fatally strikes pedestrian at end of police chase in South LA, authorities say

SOUTH LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A driver of a stolen car struck and killed a pedestrian at the end of a police chase early Thursday morning in South Los Angeles, authorities said.

The female suspect was driving a white Toyota Avalon about 12:30 a.m. when officers from the LAPD's 77th Street Division initiated a pursuit that lasted for about a minute, said Detective Bruce Borihahn of the Los Angeles Police Department.

The officers on the ground then disengaged from the chase and switched to "tracking mode" as an LAPD helicopter continued to follow the sedan from overhead, Borihahn said.

Shortly afterward, the suspect was traveling at a high rate of speed when she struck a man who was in a crosswalk in the 7100 block of South Central Avenue, police said. Three parked cars and an electrical pole were also hit. The victim, who was dragged several hundred feet after impact, died at the scene.

Police initially described him as being in his 50s. The Los Angeles County coroner's office later said he was in his 20s, but did not immediately release his name, pending notification of his family.

The driver, a woman in her 40s, was taken into custody. Whether she was injured in the crash was unclear. Her name was not disclosed.

News video from the scene showed several damaged vehicles, including one that was overturned onto its side.