Two Zapopan police patrol cars that were chasing a stolen vehicle collided into each other at high speed Monday evening, causing the deaths of four bystanders.
The tragic accident occurred around 9:20 p.m. after a Toyota Yaris was reported as stolen at the intersection of López Mateos and Tezozómoc, near Plaza del Sol.
The two police patrols responded after hearing a radio message that the vehicle had been spotted in Colonia Miramar.
Unfortunately, the speeding vehicles arrived at the crossing of calles Puerto Mazatlán and Puerto Tampico at exactly the same moment. The high-speed collision caused one of the cars to careen into a group of young people gathered at the corner of the intersection.
Two civilians died on impact, while two more succumbed later in hospital. Six others, as well as four police officers, were treated for various injuries.
Said Zapopan Police Commissioner Roberto Alarcón: “When these kinds of situations happen, the radio frequency saturates and, lamentably, communication is affected. This was the reason for the collision.”
Zapopan Mayor Pablo Lemus said the municipality will cover all the funeral and hospitaliztion costs of those affected and will be analyzing further indemnification to the families of the deceased and injured.