SAN DIEGO (CBS 8) - A driver suspected of DUI was among four injured Thursday as his car crashed into two other vehicles before knocking down a power pole and overturning in La Jolla.
It happened around 9:30 a.m. Thursday at
close to Muirlands School and La Jolla High School. The driver apparently lost control of his the vehicle while trying to negotiate a curve on westbound Nautilus, crossing a median and hitting a Mercedes SUV, injuring a female driver and two children.
The driver of the BMW, an unidentified 44-year-old man, reportedly ran two red lights before the crash. A motorist told CBS News 8 that she encountered the same driver just before the crash, and she could tell something wasn't right.
"He just took off like he was in a race. It was like he had gotten frustrated with the light being red, and he just took off. He took off as fast as he could and went right through both red lights," Lisa Marthaler siad.
The driver of the BMW had to be rescued, with firefighters being forced to cut into the bottom of the vehicle because the man's foot was stuck. They say it was a dicey rescue for several reasons.
"The car was resting on the electrical wires. It was very lucky. But it added danger of operations," John Fisher, with San Diego Fire Rescue said.
The driver was taken to Scripps La Jolla with a foot injury.
The driver of the Mercedes SUV was taken to Sharp Memorial with minor injuries. Her two children were treated at Rady Children's for minor wounds.
Nautilus Street was blocked off while the scene was cleared. The roadway reopened Thursday afternoon.