SAN DIEGO — Public safety advocates are calling for changes to police pursuit laws following a collision that killed two young boys in San Diego.
It happened during a San Diego Police Department chase on an Interstate 805 off-ramp just after 6 p.m. on December 8.
SDPD officers were chasing a BMW for alleged traffic violations, according to police radio audio reviewed by CBS 8.
Officers were chasing the 20-year-old driver with lights and sirens blaring when an officer radioed in the alleged violation: “speed and no front headlight.”
On the exit to 43rd Street, CHP said the driver plowed into a Honda carrying 8-year-old Malikai Orozco-Romero and his little brother, 4-year-old Mason Orozco-Romero.
The Honda burst hit a tree and burst into flames, the CHP said. Both children were killed.
“Get me a fire extinguisher! We need a fire extinguisher! We have multiple kids here!,” an officer is heard screaming over the police radio.
The children's mother remains in critical condition, according to a family member. An aunt was treated and released from the hospital.
The BMW was being driven by Angel Salgado, the CHP said. He was arrested after a foot chase, according to a CHP news release. Salgado remains in custody. His arraignment is set for December 13 in downtown San Diego court.
San Diego Police Department has a policy to call off high-speed pursuits. It takes into consideration public safety, the seriousness of the offense and the risk to officers, amount other criteria.
Friday’s fatal pursuit lasted approximately four minutes, according to radio traffic, and there was no indication that SDPD supervisors tried to stop the chase.
Esther Seoanes is with the Texas-based Pursuit SAFETY nonprofit. Her husband was an innocent bystander killed during a police case in 2012.
“There are so many ways to obtain suspects, you do not have to chase them. That is the most dangerous way of apprehending suspects,” said Seoanes. “More than 90% of chases are performed for non-violent felony crimes. So, what Public SAFETY advocates for is only chasing when there's a violent felony crime, when somebody's life is an immediate, emergent danger and there's no other way to apprehend the suspect.”
Seoanes said California law provides general immunity to police officers involved in high-speed pursuit collisions. “It needs to change because innocent victims' lives are too valuable, too beautiful to be lost over somebody who was speeding,” Seoanes said.
SDPD emailed CBS 8 the following statement:
"Most importantly, we want to remember the young victims of Friday night’s hit and run crash on I-805. Our hearts go out to the loved ones of the two children who were killed and the two women who were injured. We understand the public’s desire for answers and justice for these innocent victims. The California Highway Patrol is leading the investigation into the collision. We would defer to them on any questions relating to the investigation. SDPD’s Traffic Division is conducting its own internal investigation of this incident to ensure our policies and procedures were followed."
WATCH RELATED: Two young boys killed in SDPD police pursuit identified