Marine Arrested After High-Speed Pursuit and Crash in Escondido Leaves Woman Dead

Accident – Death – Obituary News : ESCONDIDO, Calif. (KGTV) – A Marine lance corporal stationed at MCAS Miramar has been apprehended by the Escondido Police Department following a high-speed pursuit and subsequent crash that tragically claimed the life of a woman. The incident occurred in Escondido on Monday night.

According to reports, officers were dispatched to the Dick’s Sporting Goods store on Auto Park Way at approximately 10:28 p.m. The call was in response to an alleged theft involving a man and two women. The trio managed to flee the scene after spotting the arriving officers, getting into a pickup truck.

Officers immediately initiated a pursuit of the fleeing suspects. The chase ensued eastwards through Escondido onto Washington Avenue, where the driver of the truck attempted a high-speed turn onto Fig Street. Unfortunately, the driver lost control of the vehicle and collided with a retaining wall. The impact resulted in the ejection of both female passengers, while the male driver managed to flee on foot.

Tragically, one of the women succumbed to her injuries after being transported to the hospital. The other female passenger underwent surgery and is currently expected to survive.

In a statement, the surviving passenger revealed that she had repeatedly pleaded with the driver to pull over, but he callously refused to let her exit the vehicle.

The suspect, identified as 21-year-old John Eugene Brand, was apprehended by law enforcement officers hiding just one block away from the crash site. Brand, a Marine lance corporal stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, was driving a vehicle owned by the Marine Corps at the time of the incident.

Brand now faces a range of serious charges, including vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, kidnapping, evading police with wanton disregard for safety, evading police causing serious injury or death, evading a police officer, hit-and-run resulting in death or injury, burglary, and conspiracy.

Escondido police investigators have confirmed that stolen articles of clothing were recovered from the truck, further implicating the suspects in the theft.

This tragic incident has left the community of Escondido in mourning and raises concerns about the safety and security of the area. The Escondido Police Department is urging anyone with additional information related to the case to come forward and assist with their ongoing investigation.

As the investigation continues, the local community is left grappling with the loss of a life and the aftermath of a terrifying high-speed pursuit. It serves as a reminder of the importance of responsible driving and the potential consequences of reckless actions on the road.

The Escondido Police Department will provide updates on the case as more information becomes available..