Living in the Inland Empire means you eventually stop looking at the scenery and start looking for the helicopters. If you’ve spent any time on the 210 or the 10 recently, you know the drill. A San Bernardino car chase isn't just a news headline anymore; it's practically a local pastime, though a terrifyingly dangerous one.
Honestly, the sheer frequency of these pursuits in San Bernardino County is staggering. Just look at the numbers from the California Highway Patrol (CHP). In a typical year, we're seeing thousands of pursuits across the state, and a huge chunk of those high-speed "theatre" moments happen right here in our backyard. It's not just about some guy in a stolen Honda trying to outrun a cruiser. It's about public safety, high-tech PIT maneuvers, and the reality that these chases often end in a heap of twisted metal.
The Reality of the San Bernardino Car Chase
Why here? That’s what everyone asks. Some say it's the sprawl. Others blame the fact that we're a major transit hub. Basically, if you want to get anywhere in Southern California, you’re passing through San Bernardino, and so are the people the cops are looking for.
Take the wild incident from late 2025. A motorcyclist allegedly shot a deputy in Rancho Cucamonga and then tore onto the 210 Freeway. That wasn't just a chase; it was a manhunt that locked down the mountain corridors. It eventually ended in a violent collision. That's the part the news cameras usually miss—the aftermath. When a San Bernardino car chase hits the 100 mph mark, the physics of a crash don't care about the driver’s motives.
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Why Pursuits Escalate So Fast
Most of these things start small. Maybe a busted taillight or a "failure to yield." Then the adrenaline kicks in.
- Vehicle Theft: San Bernardino has some of the highest vehicle theft rates in the state.
- The "Adrenaline Trap": Suspects often feel they have nothing to lose once the sirens start.
- Geography: Long stretches of open freeway and winding mountain roads like Highway 18 make for difficult "stop" conditions.
It’s worth noting that the CHP recently launched a massive "surge operation" in the city. In just the first two weeks of that push in late 2024, they made 64 arrests and recovered 11 stolen cars. They aren't playing around anymore. They’re using air units and specialized ground teams to box people in before the speeds get suicidal.
What Most People Get Wrong About Police Tactics
You see it on TV and think, "Just ram them!" But it's never that simple.
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Law enforcement has to weigh the "need to apprehend" against the "risk to the public." If a suspect is driving the wrong way on the freeway—which happened on the 210 near State Street just this past November—the police sometimes have to back off. In that specific chase, the vehicle eventually launched off a ramp and crashed into an embankment. One fatality. Three others injured.
The "Grappler" and the PIT maneuver are tools, sure. But at 90 mph in a residential neighborhood? Those tools stay in the toolbox. Officers like Detective Wallen, who was recently honored for using his vehicle to stop a suspect after the tragic death of Deputy Andrew Nunez, are making split-second decisions that most of us couldn't handle.
The Cost of the Chase
Let's talk about the "uninvolved third parties." That's the sterile term the CHP uses for you and me.
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Statistically, about 23% of pursuits end in a collision. Even crazier? In many years, nearly 40% of the fatalities in these chases are people who weren't even involved in the pursuit. They were just going to the grocery store or heading home from work. This is why the San Bernardino car chase phenomenon is such a hot-button issue for local activists and the San Bernardino Police Department alike.
How to Stay Safe When the Sirens Start
If you see the lights in your rearview, or worse, see a car flying toward you with five cruisers in tow, you need a plan.
- Move Right, Not Left: Always pull to the right. The suspect will almost always try to weave through the "fast" lanes.
- Turn Down the Radio: You need to hear where the sirens are coming from. High-speed cars can close a half-mile gap in seconds.
- Don't Be a Hero: Don't try to block the suspect. It’s a great way to get carjacked or rammed.
- Watch the Intersections: This is where the most dangerous collisions happen. Even if you have a green light, look both ways if you hear sirens.
Making Sense of the Chaos
We live in a world where "pursuit" is a genre of entertainment, but the streets of San Bernardino aren't a movie set. The surge in CHP presence and the use of better surveillance tech might eventually slow the trend. For now, the best thing you can do is stay informed and stay out of the way.
If you’re interested in tracking these incidents in real-time, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department and local news outlets like VVNG provide some of the fastest updates. Stay alert on the 210, keep your eyes on the road, and remember that no "look" at a passing chase is worth your safety.
Next Steps for Safety:
Check the local CHP or San Bernardino Sheriff's social media pages for active traffic alerts before your commute. If you witness a pursuit, report any abandoned vehicles or fleeing suspects to 909-387-3545, but never attempt to follow a suspect vehicle yourself.