OAKLAND — A man standing on a street corner in East Oakland was in critical condition after a car being chased by a Department of Homeland Security officer struck him after hitting another vehicle Thursday evening, authorities said.
The name of the man injured, a 32-year-old Oakland resident, was not released.
The collisions happened about 5:38 p.m. Thursday at the intersection of 23rd Avenue and East 11th Street.
Authorities said a Department of Homeland Security officer in a marked agency SUV was in pursuit northbound on 23rd Avenue of an Acura TL apparently after seeing the vehicle driving erratically and speeding in another area of the city.
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately return a request for more specific comment about why a federal agent engaged in a pursuit on Oakland city streets or the department’s pursuit policy.
Police said the Acura failed to stop at a red light at the intersection. It then collided with a Nissan Altima in the intersection before hitting the man, who was standing on the northeast corner, police said.
The driver of the Acura, a 22-year-old Oakland man, tried to flee the scene on foot but was captured by the Homeland Security officer. Authorities said an illegally modified firearm was recovered in the Acura.
The driver of the Nissan, a 32-year-old Oakland resident, was not hurt, police said. He remained at the scene and was cooperating with investigators.
The Acura driver was taken to a hospital for a medical evaluation before he was booked at Santa Rita Jail. He was booked on suspicion of multiple charges, including hit and run driving causing major injury, hit and run driving causing property damage, carrying a concealed weapon in a vehicle, carrying a loaded firearm in a vehicle, unlawful conversion of a firearm into a machine gun and manufacturing of a large capacity magazine. He was being held in lieu of $332,500 bail.
Police said it does not appear drugs or alcohol were factors in the collisions.
Oakland police continue to investigate the collisions. Anyone with information may call police traffic investigators at 510-777-8570.
