Marathon Chase: Suspect Leads LAPD Officers On 6-Hour Pursuit Across Southland
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — A man police believed was armed was arrested early Wednesday morning after leading authorities on a bizarre pursuit from Los Angeles to the Inland Empire which lasted more than six hours.
The chase began at around 6:50 p.m. Tuesday in South Los Angles and didn't come to an end until 1:30 a.m. Wednesday in Ontario.
Los Angeles police had attempted to pull over a Chevrolet Malibu in the area of 65th Street and Vermont Avenue when they noticed the driver reach under his seat for what they thought may be a gun, police said.
It's unclear exactly why officers pulled him over, but the stop may have been linked to an earlier shooting in South L.A.
The man took off, prompting a chase that lasted more than 6 hours and 30 minutes. The pursuit traversed the 110, 101 and 10 freeways.
The suspect drove at high speeds through residential neighborhoods in the Ladera Heights area, often weaving past other vehicles and at times running red lights.
At one point, he began driving on the wrong side of the road before getting onto the 110 Freeway and slowing to a crawl, with LAPD officers following behind him.
The chase wound its way up to North Hollywood before heading to East L.A. and continuing into the San Gabriel Valley.
Police used spike strips at one point on the 101 Freeway, but they didn't work.
A second set of spike strips near downtown L.A. caused three flat tires on the suspect's car, slowing him down to single-digit speeds.
As the driver continued on the 10 Freeway into the Baldwin Park area, a number of onlookers parked just off the highway to watch the slow-moving chase drive by as traffic behind the pursuit was backed up for miles.
The chase finally came to an end at around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday on the eastbound 10 Freeway at the Vineyard Avenue exit in Ontario. The man was peacefully arrested.
The LAPD told CBSLA the suspect, identified as 35-year-old Michael Zinkiewitz, has an extensive criminal history. Officers were on the phone with his family during the chase. There was no word on whether a gun was recovered. The car was not stolen, police said.
He has been returned to the L.A. area to be booked.