A high-speed chase through Central Lubbock left one person dead and sent five others to the hospital Thursday.

Police said Ngoc Dung Tran, 54, died when a vehicle ran a red light and crashed into her car, setting off a chain reaction.

“We know it was a high speed, we know that the suspect did disregard the traffic light,” said LPD Lieutenant Ray Mendoza. Mendoza said the pursuit began just before 11:45 a.m..

Chief Greg Stevens said the pursuit ensued when a team with LPD’s Narcotics Unit was running an undercover operation and a suspect fled.

Police said it started at the Best Value Inn at 4105 19th Street, when the suspect, Jonathan Lavato, 33, drove away with a female passenger.

The chase ended at 19th and Avenue Q when the car Lavato was driving crashed into Tran’s vehicle.

Prior to the chase, Stevens said a commander authorized detectives to attempt to prevent Lavato from escalating the situation.

“Knowing that this was a felony in progress, the Sergeant, believing that this subject needed to be stopped, gave the authorization for the pursuing detectives to collide with the vehicle,” Stevens said in a press conference Thursday. ” In fact over the radio said, when he slows down to take to turn a corner to turn to go ahead and collide with him and let’s get this stopped before anything bad happens.”

“Pursuits are inherently dangerous,” Stevens added.

Eyewitness Deneice Smith said the crash was a moment she wished she could forget.

“I was getting ready to cross 19th and Q and before I could make it, that car went by me and I just froze,” Smith said. “I look up and all you could see was a little bit of debris flying and a lot of smoke and sand flying in the air, and cops were running everywhere up there trying to help.”

Rudy Vasquez said he was across the street at a local restaurant.

“I was thinking ‘Lordy that’s a police chase and he ain’t going to make it through 19th and Q.’ After I said that, ‘Bam!’ I heard the ambulance the fire trucks and everything like that,” Vasquez said.

“He was running from the police in a big way,” Vasquez explained.

Stevens said Lavato was found with methamphetamine, marijuana, and a loaded 9mm pistol on him as he was being loaded into an ambulance. Stevens said drugs were found in the motel room where the undercover operation began, and that during the pursuit, someone in the getaway car threw something out of the window. Investigators later discovered that substance was cocaine.

Stevens said the department was familiar with Lavato from previous criminal activity.

Lavato had been arrested just three days prior to the chase on charges of evading arrest, and had a lengthy criminal record, including an active parole violation warrant out for his arrest, according to Stevens.

In Thursday’s chase, Stevens said Lavato “clearly had no intention of being peacefully arrested. He had every intention of running, and getting away at all costs with absolutely no regard for human life.”

Stevens would not say whether or not the officers involved in the pursuit were justified or not, but he did personally meet with Tran’s family Thursday afternoon.

“I can’t even imagine what they’re going through. It’s a tragedy, it’s a horrible situation and you know I just felt it important to meet them myself express my condolences on behalf of LPD and the City of Lubbock for the absolute tragedy,” Stevens said.

Police said the District Attorney’s office had already begun looking at the case to determine what charges, if any would be filed.

“Certainly some are,” he said.

“I want to emphasize that he had every opportunity to stop when the officers attempted to stop him in the parking lot of the motel. He had every opportunity to stop when the officers had their lights and sirens turned on behind him,” Stevens said.

Police said the Accident Investigations team would continue to investigate the crash.

Smith told an EverythingLubbock.com reporter at the scene she was heartbroken to learn someone had died.

“Today was a beautiful day, everybody was minding their business, and now somebody’s lost their life to something unnecessary. It could have been prevented,” she said. “An innocent person is not here no more for no reason. Not fair. It’s not fair.”