A chase involving a possibly stolen cab and a Nevada City Police officer Wednesday night ended in a deadly collision killing one person.

CHP Public Information Officer Greg Tassone  says at approximately 8:00 PM Wednesday evening, a 64 year old white male had been involved in a disturbance in downtown Nevada City. After the incident, the male subject attempted to hire a taxi (van) to leave the area. As the driver of the taxi was outside of the van loading the man’s possessions into the taxi, the man climbed into the driver seat of the taxi and sped away. As he drove away, a civilian was struck by falling debris from the taxi and received minor injuries.

A Nevada City Police  officer attempted to make a traffic stop of the taxi as it left the downtown area, but the subject failed to stop. A pursuit ensued from downtown Nevada City and eventually onto eastbound SR-20. where a second Nevada City Police Department officer was in a patrol vehicle positioned east of the pursuit near Nevada St., with his emergency lights activated, waiting to assist. As the male subject approached this second patrol vehicle, he drove directly into the rear of the patrol vehicle causing a collision and major vehicle damage. Both the taxi and the patrol vehicle were disabled, with the taxi coming to rest sideways across SR-20, blocking the lanes.

The Nevada City Police Department officer was uninjured. Both officers exited their vehicles and approached the taxi where they found the male subject unresponsive. The subject had not been wearing a seatbelt. The officers called for emergency medical personnel and began resuscitation efforts  ….A helicopter air ambulance was also called to respond. Emergency medical personnel arrived and   ultimately declared the subject deceased at the scene.

The CHP is handling the investigation. After a preliminary investigation, it appears alcohol and/or controlled substances were a factor for the male subject; his identity is being withheld pending notification of next-of-kin by the Coroner.

SR-20 was closed and traffic was detoured onto surface streets for approximately 3 hours while emergency crews worked at the scene.
(( Along with the CHP, the agencies responding to this incident were the Nevada City Police Department, Grass Valley Police Department, Nevada County Sheriff’s Department, Nevada City Fire Department, Nevada County Consolidated Fire District, Sierra Nevada Ambulance, and CalTrans.))