Driver of stolen vehicle strikes, kills woman in Anaheim, police say

A woman was killed early Saturday morning in a hit-and-run collision involving a reported stolen vehicle in Orange County, authorities say.

An officer with the Placentia Police Department initially observed the vehicle speeding westbound on the 91 Freeway.

The vehicle — a white BMW X5 SUV — exited the freeway onto East Street. At 1:15 a.m., the officer came across a woman injured in the 700 block of North East Street in Anaheim where the vehicle had been abandoned after crashing into the gate of a home. Authorities said the car had been reported stolen.

The woman, whose identity remained unknown as of noon Saturday, was taken by ambulance to a trauma center, where she was pronounced dead, according to Anaheim police spokesman Sgt. Jon McClintock.

The suspect apparently fled the scene on foot. Officers from the Placentia, Anaheim and Fullerton police departments established a perimeter, “conducted an exhaustive search for the suspect and didn’t locate him,” McClintock said.

Police have not issued any warnings for the neighborhood and have no reason to believe the suspect stayed in the area, he added.

While earlier reports indicated the crash occurred as part of a police chase, Placentia Police Lt. Chris Anderson said that wasn’t the case.

“At no point was the Placentia Police Department in pursuit of the suspect vehicle and/or have lights and sirens activated,” he said.