THE BULLETHOLE in the window of a HBPD police car from a midnight chase (HBPD photo).

A midnight car chase and gun battle took the life of a fleeing suspect and nearly took the life of a Huntington Beach police officer. According to the HBPD, the incident began with response to a domestic violence call in the area of Yorktown Avenue and Bushard Street in Huntington Beach.

THE BADGE that deflected a bullet fired at a Huntington Beach police officer (HBPD photo).

Arriving officers saw a male suspect get into a car and drive away. Pursuing police followed that vehicle, which made a U-turn onto Yorktown. A shot was fired at one of the policemen in the chase, going through the windshield and striking the officer in the badge on his chest. Two officers returned fire.

The pursuit continued into Costa Mesa, when police there, aided by the Huntington Beach police helicopter spotted the suspect vehicle on the Costa Mesa (55) Freeway and then eastbound Riverside (91) and then the Corona (15) Freeway, with California Highway Patrol units taking over the chase.

At the Cleghorn Road exit in Hesperia, the vehicle veered off the road and crashed down an embankment where the car caught fire. The driver, who has not yet been identified, perished in the crash.

The HBPD officer who was hit sustained minor injuries, was treated and released.