Authorities received reports of the incident at around 8 p.m. January 21, in the area of Madison and Bradford avenues
Placentia, CA – One person was killed when a police chase ended in a multi-vehicle collision at an intersection in Placentia on Wednesday night, according to the Anaheim Police Department.
Authorities received reports of the incident at around 8 p.m. January 21, in the area of Madison and Bradford avenues.
Anaheim police officers were in pursuit of a suspect when a collision happened at the intersection. It's unclear why the pursuit started and how the vehicles crashed. A pickup truck, a minivan, and a sedan were heavily damaged in the collision.
Authorities reported that one person in the sedan was declared deceased at the scene. The identity of the deceased person was not immediately released.
A person was taken into custody at the scene of the crash. Authorities did not specify why the person was arrested.
Debris from the crash was scattered across the roadway and lanes were shut down for hours as crews worked to clear the scene.
Authorities have not released further details on the incident. The cause of the crash is under investigation.
In recent years, Anaheim has consistently recorded a high volume of traffic accidents, leading Orange County in total crash volume, which is partially attributed to its large population. In 2022 alone, Anaheim saw 7,398 total traffic accidents, with 1,134 of these being injury and fatal crashes, making it the city with the highest number of such incidents in Orange County that year. For 2021, the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) reported 2,084 total victims killed and injured in fatal and injury collisions in Anaheim. Unsafe speed, driving under the influence (DUI), and right-of-way violations continue to be the primary causes of these crashes. Data from the Anaheim Police Department highlights the persistence of speeding issues; in 2023, there were 484 crashes attributed to unsafe speed, resulting in 498 injuries and 2 fatalities, with similar figures in 2024 (535 crashes, 520 injuries, 1 fatality). Anaheim also faces ongoing challenges with vulnerable road users, with significant numbers of pedestrian and bicyclist injuries and fatalities occurring annually, often near freeway entrances, poorly lit intersections, and high-speed zones. The city continues to focus on increased enforcement, community education, and engineering improvements to mitigate these risks.
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