Police said a 14-year-old driver faces vehicle theft, felony evasion and vehicular manslaughter counts.
ELK GROVE, CA — Two Elk Grove residents were killed early Monday when a stolen Hyundai fled from police and struck a Tesla at Brown Road and Elk Grove Florin Road, authorities said.
The crash left two others in the Tesla hospitalized and led officers to detain two juveniles from the Hyundai. Police said the 14-year-old driver is expected to face charges tied to vehicle theft, felony evasion and two counts of vehicular manslaughter. A 13-year-old passenger was released to his parents after medical treatment, while a third person who left the Hyundai before the crash had not been identified.
The Sacramento County Coroner’s Office identified the people killed as Tiffany Chin Chu, 47, and Skip Phoong Van, 54, both of Elk Grove. Police said they were rear passengers in the Tesla. The driver, a 55-year-old woman, suffered life-threatening injuries, and the front passenger, a 63-year-old man, suffered injuries that were not considered life-threatening. Officials did not release their names. The crash happened after 4 a.m., when an Elk Grove police officer near Rau Park heard what sounded like reckless driving and saw a silver Hyundai on Elk Grove Florin Road.
Police said the officer saw the Hyundai turn into a gas station parking lot and activated emergency lights. The Hyundai did not stop, continued through the lot and drove onto Brown Road, according to investigators. Police said the vehicle stopped briefly in the westbound lane, then fled again. It later turned onto Gurmit Court, where the driver went onto a sidewalk to make a U-turn around a parked vehicle before accelerating back onto Brown Road. Police said the officer was about a quarter-mile behind the Hyundai before the crash.
Investigators said a rear passenger wearing a black balaclava mask got out of the Hyundai while it was moving and ran away. Police said the driver and front passenger also appeared to be wearing similar masks. The Hyundai then sped west on Brown Road, ran a red light and struck the side of a Tesla traveling south on Elk Grove Florin Road, authorities said. Officers detained two juveniles at the crash scene. The 14-year-old driver was taken to a hospital after the collision. The identity and location of the person who ran from the Hyundai were not known Monday.
The crash closed a busy stretch of Elk Grove Florin Road between Calvine Road and Heritage Hill Drive through the morning. Police kept the area blocked while officers examined the wreckage, marked evidence and worked through the early crash investigation. The road reopened shortly after 11 a.m., about five hours after the deadly collision. Authorities said the Hyundai had been reported stolen. Police did not say when or where it was stolen, and they did not release details about how the juveniles may have obtained it.
The case adds to the legal scrutiny that can follow a police encounter ending in a fatal crash, especially when the suspected driver is a minor. Police said the 14-year-old driver will be charged with vehicle theft, felony evasion and two counts of vehicular manslaughter. Because the driver is a juvenile, later court records and custody decisions may be handled differently than adult criminal cases. Officials had not announced a court date, a detention hearing or whether prosecutors had formally filed charges by Monday evening.
Brown Road and Elk Grove Florin Road sit in a developed part of Elk Grove near homes, parks, businesses and schools. The early hour meant traffic was lighter than it would be later in the morning, but the crash still forced a long closure as investigators worked at the intersection. Police said the Tesla had four people inside when it was hit. Two died, and two were taken to a hospital. Authorities did not describe the relationship among the four people in the Tesla or say where they were headed.
The investigation remained active Monday night. Police had identified the two people killed, detained the two juveniles from the Hyundai and reopened Elk Grove Florin Road. The next public milestones are expected to include updates on the injured Tesla occupants, charging decisions for the 14-year-old driver and any new information about the third person who ran from the Hyundai.
Author note: Last updated June 2, 2026.