Berkeley police pulled a vehicle over for suspended license plates, and put down a spike strip in case the driver left the scene.
The vehicle took off, and, less than a mile later, lost control and crashed into a tree in Hillside, police said.
The driver was taken to a nearby hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
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A gun was recovered, police said.
No one else was injured, and charges are pending, police said.
Chopper 7 was over the crash near Wolf and Butterfield roads about 5 p.m., and a vehicle could be seen with major front-end damage.