Last Updated on January 9, 2023 by CCAR Staff
POMONA >> In a YouTube video, Cal Poly Pomona President Soraya M. Coley praised students and staff for enduring a “challenging situation” following a police pursuit that resulted in a multivehicle crash Thursday and involved a foot chase on campus.
• Video: Dr. Coley addresses safety at Cal Poly Pomona
On Thursday, deputies tried to stop a reportedly stolen car with five people inside, according to sheriff’s officials. The car fled, then caused a seven-vehicle crash on Temple Avenue and South Campus Drive. Two men and a woman were detained immediately, and another man was detained after he was discovered hiding in student housing at the 3000 block of Poly Vista.
A fifth suspect is still at large.
“First and foremost, let me assure you that our campus is safe and secure. No one was harmed and the incident was successfully resolved late last night. And that success was due to the outstanding work of our University Police officers, who worked closely with local law enforcement to effectively protect our campus community.
“I also want to thank the dedicated and committed staff and faculty who worked tirelessly for our students’ well-being and safety, whether at the Bronco Student Center, the University Village, or elsewhere on campus. Through their collective efforts, our students had a safe place to gather, plenty of food, music and even a movie,” she said in the video posted Friday afternoon.
Students were told to shelter in place at about 4:30 p.m. as officials searched for the suspects near University Village. The campus was cleared shortly before midnight, according to an official university tweet.
Coley encouraged students to visit the campus safety website for instructions on how to handle a variety of urgent situations. Students may also connect to the university’s safety alert system, which sends urgent campus wide notifications through text messages, email updates and phone calls.
“Our campus was tested last night, and I’m pleased to say that through teamwork, commitment and the talent of our outstanding staff across the campus, we were able to successfully navigate a challenging situation,” Coley said. “The safety of our campus is our highest priority. It is a shared responsibility and each of us plays an important role.”
Counseling services were available in the community center of the Village Friday for students to talk about Thursday night’s incident. For more information, call 909-869-3220.
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