Escondido police chase ends with SUV in living room

ESCONDIDO (CNS) – Two men were hospitalized Monday with serious injuries after the stolen SUV they were in flipped onto its roof and crashed into a living room following a brief road chase by police in Escondido, authorities said.

Just after 11:30 p.m. Sunday, officers learned that a silver Toyota 4Runner that was stolen in Oceanside six days earlier might be in Escondido, according to Escondido police Lt. Justin Murphy.

Officers spotted the SUV a short time later in the 1600 block of East Valley Parkway and a brief road chase ensued until officers lost sight of the vehicle in the area of Midway Drive and Washington Avenue, Murphy said in a statement.

Within minutes, officers found the vehicle again, he said — at 11:51 p.m. at 2770 Fieldbrook Way, where it had flipped onto its roof and crashed into a living room.

The driver bailed on foot but was quickly found nearby on Prairiestone Way suffering from a visible head injury, Murphy said. His passenger, 23-year-old Larry Frank Lopez of Oceanside, had to be rescued from the crash wreckage and was taken to Palomar Medical Center with life-threatening injuries, according to the lieutenant, who said both men were in possession of handguns.

The driver, whose identity was unknown, was also taken to the hospital. No one inside the home was injured.

Both men face multiple felony charges, Murphy said.