Oakley car crash leaves man dead
A father of two was killed on Tuesday morning when a stolen car being driven by three teenagers collided with his vehicle. The driver, Irwin De La Cruz, was 50 years old and a registered nurse. The three teens, who have not been identified, were hospitalized as a result of the crash.
OAKLEY, Calif. – A registered nurse and father of two was killed in Oakley earlier this week after a stolen car driven by teenagers slammed into his Tesla following a police chase.
Victim identified
What we know:
The victim was identified as 50-year-old Erwin De La Cruz. De La Cruz was on his way home when the crash occurred. He is survived by his wife, who is also a registered nurse, and their two sons.
Crash details
The backstory:
The incident began around 10:30 a.m. Feb. 24, when an Oakley police officer spotted a stolen vehicle speeding. The officer initiated a pursuit that traveled down Main Street, passing major intersections including Live Oak Avenue and Big Break Road.
According to police, the driver of the stolen Honda drove at excessive speeds throughout the pursuit. A sergeant decided to terminate the chase; however, the collision happened just seconds later.
Surveillance video captured the Honda with three teen boys inside, running a red light at the intersection of O’Hara Avenue and Laurel Road.
The Honda broadsided De La Cruz’s Tesla, causing the electric vehicle to burst into flames. A third vehicle was also struck during the collision.
Teens hospitalized
The three teens in the stolen car were hospitalized with major injuries. Investigators said that one occupant was ejected from the vehicle.
Police said the Honda was reported stolen from Oakland on February 22. Days later, officers spotted the vehicle in Antioch and Oakley.
The tragedy hit close to home for neighbor Michael Bias, who told KTVU he was crushed to learn the victim was the man who first welcomed him to the neighborhood.
Bias voiced his frustration over the circumstances leading to De La Cruz’s death.
“If you’re chasing somebody, you don’t know what’s ahead of it,” Bias said. “Look what happened.”
Other residents echoed those sentiments.
“I would say the high-speed chases don’t make sense to me,” Rick Reed said. “Get his license plate number and track him down later… Look, the guy lost his life. It’s terrible.”
The Oakley Police Department, the California Highway Patrol, and the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office are investigating the crash.
Oakley officials called the crash a “senseless incident” and extended their deepest sympathies to the De La Cruz family.
The Source: This story was witting based on information from residents and police.
