SAN DIEGO, Calif.
A car carrying what officials say is a suspected load of illegal immigrants flipped and burned Tuesday morning, following a slow speed chase through the East County.

The San Diego Sheriff's Department said the pursuit of a 2000 Dodge Intrepid began around 10:45 a.m. following an attempted stop for a minor registration violation.

The vehicle sped off and a short pursuit through Spring Valley ensued, according to authorities. At times the car reached speeds of 70 miles per hour. Once the Dodge entered a residential area, the pursuit was called off.

A sheriff's air support helicopter continued to monitor the car. Photos taken from the San Diego air caught the crash on tape.

Officials said the images show the Dodge speeding along, then coming to the end of Skyline Drive and Cardiff Street in the Lomita area, and launching off, crashing through a fence and then flipping in the air. The car landed upside down, then burst into flames.

The sheriff's department arrived on scene and began rescuing people from the car. A total of eight people were ejected from the car. Police said four of them suffered serious injuries. One woman, an 18-year-old, is listed in extremely critical condition. She was rescued from inside the car's trunk, officials said.

The fire sparked by the crash also caught the nearby hillside on fire, burning within 50 feet of some homes, according to San Diego Fire Department Spokesman Maurice Luque.

Preliminary reports are the people in the car were undocumented immigrants.

The border patrol is assisting in the investigation of the crash.