Party Bus Stolen Out Of San Diego Slams Into Vehicle, Ending Police Pursuit
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — A party bus stolen out of the San Diego area crashed into the vehicle of an innocent driver in the Acton area, ending a long-running pursuit that started in the San Fernando Valley.
The suspect Melissa Danielle Jackson, 44, was charged at the Palmdale Sheriff Station for auto theft and evading arrest.
The bus was reported stolen out of San Diego at about 10 a.m. Tuesday. Authorities chased the vehicle on the 405 Freeway into the San Fernando Valley, then onto the 14 Freeway and into the Palmdale/Lancaster area.
The Top Dog Limo bus had been taken out to pick up a client in Pacific Beach when someone jumped into it and took off, according to owner Suzie Leitzke. She was alerted to the theft after receiving a complaint about the bus' erratic driving.
The driver was not injured, Leitzke said.
At one point, a spike strip was laid down in the lanes of the 405 Freeway in an attempt to stop the party bus, but the driver swerved to avoid it.
The chase ended at about 12:40 p.m. when the driver slammed into a sedan on Pearblossom Highway near Old Nadeau Road. The impact of the crash sent the bus across the center divider and into oncoming traffic, but the other cars were able to avoid a collision with the bus.
A woman was seen getting out of the party bus and surrendering to police.
The driver of the sedan was able to get out of the car on their own, and was treated by paramedics at the scene.