A 25-year-old woman remains hospitalized in critical condition after a stolen Tesla careened onto the Pacific Beach boardwalk in San Diego on a Monday afternoon earlier this month. According to the San Diego Police Department, the incident triggered a police pursuit, a crash with a utility transformer, and a citizen foot chase that ended with an arrest.
Police Chase and Boardwalk Crash Details
The episode began about 20 minutes before the crash when the vehicle’s owner reported the Tesla stolen and informed authorities it could be tracked through its mobile application, according to ABC 10News reporting. San Diego Police officers located the car traveling south on Mission Boulevard and attempted a traffic stop. When the driver refused to pull over, officers initiated a pursuit.
A police supervisor terminated the vehicle chase due to the escalating danger to the public, NBC 7 San Diego reported. Following the termination of the pursuit, the Tesla struck an SDG&E transformer before heading toward the waterfront. The vehicle entered the boardwalk from Pacific Beach Drive around 12:40 p.m., speeding north through an area crowded with pedestrians and cyclists.
San Diego Fire-Rescue spokesperson Candace Hadley told NBC that numerous people managed to dive out of the car’s path. Another woman who jumped out of the way was evaluated by emergency responders at the scene. The 25-year-old victim, identified by staff at Ocean Pacific Gym as a member, was struck near Thomas and Reed avenues and transported to a hospital with two broken ribs and two fractured vertebrae.
Bystander Intervention and Suspect Arrest
Bicyclist Alex Srour was among the people in the path of the vehicle. In an Instagram post cited by local outlets, Srour estimated the car was traveling faster than 70 mph when it struck him. He credited an unidentified person who shouted a warning with saving his life. That speed estimate represents Srour’s personal observation rather than an official police measurement.
The Tesla eventually stopped in front of Baja Beach Cafe, where the driver exited and attempted to flee on foot. Srour pursued the suspect, capturing footage of the chase and joining with other pedestrians, including a man named Cameron, to corner the fleeing individual in a parking area. Srour and other bystanders detained the suspect until police arrived to take him into custody.
Investigators conducted a felony hit-and-run investigation and suspected the driver was under the influence at the time of the crash, according to NBC reporting. The suspect, identified as Juan Antonio Gonzaba, pleaded not guilty to charges. The district attorney’s office stated that Gonzaba has a lengthy criminal history and faces up to 24 years in prison if convicted.
Community Fundraising and Recovery Effort
Ocean Pacific Gym owner Kent Cornell launched a GoFundMe campaign on Monday to support the injured 25-year-old, whose identity has been shared by gym staff as Olivia. Cornell contributed an initial $5,000 to the fund, which aims to help support her for the next six months as she recovers from broken ribs and fractured vertebrae.
“She was simply taking a walk for a lunch break and life changed in a second,” Cornell wrote in a social media post. Gym employees, including LuAnn Wendt, described Olivia as a light in the community who participated in strength training, tennis, and Lagree, a specialized Pilates workout. Organizers hope the fundraising campaign will help fund her therapy and enable her to return to the gym as a certified Lagree instructor once she heals.
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