Three occupants of a Jeep SUV fleeing from a pursuing California Highway Patrol officer suffered major injuries Tuesday morning, July 23 when they crashed in Ceres and had to be extricated from the burning wreckage.

CHP officers were able to remove all three injured occupants before the SUV became fully involved with flames with the seatbelt of the driver having to be cut to free him.

The driver was a 17-year-old Modesto boy who was arrested but taken to a local hospital for treatment of major injuries. The right front passenger, a 16-year-old boy from San Lorenzo, and the 20-year-old Hayward man sitting in the back seat both sustained major injuries and were rushed to the hospital.

The pursuit began at approximately 3:28 a.m. when the CHP officer saw the Jeep SUV speeding southbound on Highway 99 near the 5th Street on-ramp in Modesto. The officer attempted to catch up to the SUV as it exited at Hatch Road. When the officer activated lights and siren the driver accelerated over Hatch Road and re-entered southbound 99.

The driver of the SUV took the Mitchell Road off-ramp where he collided with a light pole at the bottom of the off-ramp.

The driver was booked into Stanislaus County Juvenile Hall on suspicion of vehicle theft, leading an officer on a pursuit and leading an officer on a pursuit which caused injuries. His name was not released because of state law that protects the identity of minors charged in crimes.