Driver shot after leading Laguna Beach police on pursuit

Laguna Beach police shot a man after he led them on a pursuit and crashed into two vehicles on Thursday evening, authorities said.

An officer was attempting to make a traffic stop at about 6:20 p.m. when the driver took off and eventually struck two vehicles, Laguna Beach police Lt. Jim Cota said.

The pursuit carried over into Newport Beach before the driver turned around and headed south on Coast Highway back into Laguna Beach.

Police then performed a pursuit intervention technique, a maneuver designed to make a vehicle being pursued spin out and stop, police said.

The driver, identified as Tobiah Paul Steinmetz, 36, of Jupiter, Fla. then “quickly exited the vehicle” and was shot by police, according to a news release.

Cota added that officers discovered during the pursuit that the white Mercedes being driven by Steinmetz was a stolen vehicle.

Steinmetz was taken to Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo, Cota said.

The release said he was in “critical but stable condition.” No other individuals were reported injured during the pursuit.

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