One person died and two others were injured early Monday after a stolen vehicle crashed into a Tulare County Sheriff’s Office patrol unit and a house in Porterville, authorities said.

Around midnight, Tulare County deputies spotted a stolen car with two people inside near the top of Lewis Hill. When deputies attempted to contact the occupants, the vehicle drove off toward Porterville.

Deputies located the car again near Wilson and Mulberry, but the driver accelerated and intentionally struck a sheriff’s patrol unit. Officers from the Porterville Police Department attempted to stop the vehicle near Westfield and Newcomb, but it sped away.

The car then failed to stop at Westfield and Prospect and collided with another sheriff’s vehicle. The crash caused the stolen car to catch fire, which spread to a nearby house.

One occupant of the vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene. The second occupant sustained major injuries and was taken to a local hospital. A Tulare County deputy was also hospitalized with moderate injuries, authorities said.

The Porterville Police Department is investigating the incident.

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