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Southern California police chased a suspect after following ominous reports of a crime near El Cajon, California. However, the chase revealed more than the police bargained for when they found the body of a 51-year-old woman in the trunk of the suspect’s would-be getaway car. 

Police found the woman’s body after the chase caused the suspect’s Hyundai Sonata to crash into two other vehicles

Reports of a possible kidnapping prompted El Cajon police officers to look for a black sedan yesterday at around 5:00 p.m. The suspect vehicle, a Hyundai Sonata, is a popular sedan among California motorists. However, officers found the car on the north side of town and prompted the driver to stop.

According to El Cajon Police Department Lieutenant Nick Sprecco, the driver failed to stop when officers signaled him to do so. Just like that, the chase was on. The chase took ECPD officers and the suspect through town and nearby Spring Valley. 

The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department used an Aerial Support to Regional Enforcement Agencies (ASTREA) helicopter to aid ECPD with the chase, keeping an eye on the vehicle from the air. With some high-speed chases, law enforcement will use a PIT maneuver or tire deflation device (spike strip) to stop a runaway vehicle. In this case, the suspect crashed into two other cars and came to a stop. 

Police officers closed in, using a taser to subdue the driver after he emerged from the black Sonata. Moments later, the unnamed kidnapping suspect was in custody. The officers on the scene then turned their attention to the wrecked Sonata. They searched the vehicle, finding the body of a 51-year-old woman in the trunk.

As of now, ECPD hasn’t released any further details about the woman, the kidnapping reports, or the runaway driver. However, a witness told NBC 7 San Diego that the Sonata driver may have been arguing with a woman at the motel where the kidnapping call originated. “I just heard yelling,” witness Ian Forbes told interviewers. “I didn’t know what was going on.”

Forbes also mentioned a fight in the motel between the Sonata driver and two teenagers. The witness suggested that the teens were arguing with the man over their mother. It’s unclear if the woman in the trunk is the mother of the two teens.

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Staff Writer

Erik Sherman

Erik Sherman is a MotorBiscuit Staff Writer, an admitted petrolhead, and an avid motorcyclist. Erik also has extensive experience with military and emergency vehicles, ranging from ambulances and fire engines to MRAPs and Humvees. Erik is an eager car and motorcycle reviewer with expertise covering everything from sports cars and electric motorcycles to pontoon boats and jet skis. Erik holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Texas at Austin. He also studied Chinese, Energy, and European Politics at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. Erik’s background is unorthodox; he is a United States Marine Corps (USMC) combat veteran, water survival practitioner, and a former firefighter/EMT. Additionally, Erik is a regular volunteer and former instructor with the American Red Cross (ARC). When he’s not working, you can find Erik on his motorcycle or out for a spirited drive.