Suspected carjacker drives off California cliff after police chase

A suspected carjacker accused of leading California authorities on a high-speed chase drove his car off a cliff and into the Pacific ocean in a bid to dodge police.

The pursuit kicked off around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday near Davenport, a town located about 10 miles north of Santa Cruz. Deputies at the time were responding to reports that a man was shooting a gun in the area.

The Santa Cruz Police Department in a statement said the alleged gunman took off in a stolen vehicle upon spotting the officers. He continued to drive south at speeds topping 100 mph with authorities hot on his trail until safety concerns forced them to end the pursuit.

The suspect, however, did not stop. He “ended up driving over the cliff, into the surf,” about a mile away from the city’s famed Steamer Lane, police said.

The stolen vehicle, a Honda, was completely submerged in the Pacific ocean following the plunge, but its driver was still able to escape and climb out of the water. Authorities said it’s a miracle he survived the crash.

“The suspect was safely taken into custody after climbing out of the stolen vehicle, as he stumbled up the rocky shoreline,” the department said.

Divers early Wednesday verified there were no other people left trapped in the vehicle and no other injuries were reported.

Police have not yet released the name of the suspect and continue to investigate the incident.