Fatal Pursuit, a Closed Case Revisited, and an ICE Arrest Near City College

A vehicle being pursued by San Diego police crashed into a light pole in Barrio Logan on Wednesday morning, killing one person. The investigation is ongoing. Pursuit crashes remain among the most contested policy questions in local law enforcement, centering on the tension between apprehending a suspect and the risk a high-speed chase creates for bystanders and the pursued driver in dense residential neighborhoods.

The Citizens' Law Enforcement Review Board voted 7 to 2 on September 9th not to reopen its prior review of a 2019 confrontation involving Randal Tanner — a man who was stopped because his van had an expired registration and was beaten and paralyzed by sheriff's deputies during that stop. Tanner died in 2023. The board's executive officer cited "no new evidence" as the basis for declining to reopen the case. Two board members dissented.

Near San Diego City College, ICE agents arrested a student near 16th and C streets around 9:30 Tuesday morning. College President Ricky Shabazz confirmed that a second student fled onto campus following the initial encounter. The district confirmed the driver was a student. Chancellor Greg Smith kept the campus open, and the district activated counseling and legal services. The Department of Homeland Security later identified the arrested student as a Haitian immigrant in the country unlawfully. Because the arrest occurred adjacent to campus during school hours and a second student sought refuge on school grounds, students witnessed the encounter directly.

In Poway, three people were hospitalized after a BMW struck the front of North Park Produce on Poway Road. The driver remained at the scene and was cooperating with investigators. Early reports indicated drugs and alcohol were not believed to be factors, and the investigation remains ongoing.