(L.A.) John Figueroa Jr., 32, Died After Jumping Out of CHP Cruiser
Case Number: 2023-03378
Los Angeles County is reporting the death of a 32-year-old male that occurred in a hospital.
The coroner’s office has identified the man as John Figueroa Jr.
Manner of Death: Undetermined
Cause of Death: Traumatic Injuries
Other Significant Condition: Effects of Methamphetamine
RIP JOHN FIGUEROA JR. (August 20, 1990 – March 28, 2023)
Formal pronouncement of death was made on Tuesday at 1:09 p.m.
The medical examiner is unable to conclude as to whether this was an accident or a suicide.
The decedent had stolen a California Highway Patrol vehicle and led officers on a chase that ended when he jumped from the speeding cruiser in the Lancaster area. He suffered fatal injuries.
According to the CHP, at around 11:40 a.m Tuesday, officers responded to reports of a red Toyota Corolla being driven recklessly on the northbound Golden State (5) Freeway. The driver subsequently crashed the car on the freeway just north of state Route 126.
A CHP officer arrived at the scene to investigate, and during the investigation, the Corolla driver jumped into the officer’s cruiser and drove away.
Officers began chasing the suspect north on the freeway near Hasley Canyon Road, continuing onto state Route 138 in the Antelope Valley. At some point, the vehicle he was driving struck a spike strip, which flattened one of the rear tires, causing him to lose control of the speeding cruiser.
He then opened the driver’s side doorand jumped from the moving vehicle, slamming his head on the pavement and skidding along the freeway. Media crews tracking the chase from the sky reported that the car was going approximately 70 miles per hour when he jumped.
The patrol car then crashed into a power pole and came to rest in a grassy area next to the highway. An officer was seen performing chest compressions on the suspect after the crash.
Paramedics were sent to the scene on state Route 138 near 90th Street West at about 12:30 p.m. and he was taken to Antelope Valley Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.