Bystanders detained a man after he allegedly drove a stolen Tesla onto the busy Pacific Beach boardwalk in San Diego and struck a woman, leaving her critically injured.

According to the San Diego Police Department (SDPD), officers first responded around 12:20 p.m. to a report of a Tesla that its owner was tracking as stolen. About 10 minutes later, officers spotted the blue Tesla Model X driving south on Mission Boulevard and tried to stop the driver. SDPD said the driver, later identified as Juan Antonio Gonzaba, did not stop, initiating a police chase.

During the pursuit, the suspect drove the Tesla into oncoming traffic and hit a San Diego Gas & Electric transformer before heading toward the Pacific Beach boardwalk. Due to increasing public safety risks, police supervisors called off their pursuit. Moments later, at about 12:40 p.m., the stolen Tesla entered the boardwalk from Pacific Beach Drive, speeding dangerously close to pedestrians, as reported by the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department (SDFD).

A 25-year-old woman walking near Thomas and Reed avenues was struck by the Tesla. She was hospitalized in critical condition with two fractured ribs, two fractured vertebrae, and a laceration to her abdomen requiring stitches, according to SDFD. Another woman narrowly avoided being hit by jumping out of the way.

Witnesses described the chaos as people dove for safety. “A lot of people dove out of the way very quickly and it really could have been so much worse,” said SDFD spokesperson Candace Hadley. “This is a very busy boardwalk, having someone drive through this area is incredibly frightening.”

After stopping the Tesla in front of the Baja Beach Cafe at Thomas Avenue, Alex Srour, a beachgoer from Santee, and other bystanders chased the suspect as he ran into a nearby parking lot. Srour, using Meta sunglasses equipped with a camera, recorded the pursuit and helped pin the man to the ground until police arrived and arrested him.

SDPD has launched a felony hit-and-run investigation and suspects the driver was under the influence at the time. The area around Thomas Avenue and Mission Boulevard was closed for several hours but reopened by 4 p.m.

The investigation remains ongoing, and charges are pending as police gather more information.

Terry Meiners