Real-Life Fantasy Turns Wild With Chase By The Ocean
PLAYA DEL REY (CBSLA) -- Police pursuits are often described as wild. Saturday's was wet and wild.
A pursuit of a suspect started in South LA and ended up with the suspect driving on the beach at Playa del Rey. The suspect eventually ditched the vehicle and jumped into the water to try to evade capture.
Police jumped right in after him.
CBS2/KCAL9's Cristy Fajardo reported from Playa.
This one wasn't just wild. It was downright bizarre.
Neighbors told her if you're trying to evade police, this might be the worst place you can come.
On one side of the street, a series of speed bumps and dead ends. On the other, you have sand and beach.
In this case, the suspect chose option number two.
First he drove down a bike path. Then he drove onto the beach with people grabbing children and blankets to get out of his way.
One witness said he heard the suspect yelling at people as he drove by.
Then he drove through crashing waves. After his car got stuck in the sand, he tried to get away by wading into the water.
He then appears to drink a beer and that's when officers went into the water to drag him out.
Saturday evening Fajardo said the chase was still the talk of the neighborhood.
"Right in front of where I was standing," said John Tuttle, "on Charley Place, this white car, with this guy in it, was driving not-so-fast, but a little fast for the alleyway. And then the cop cars were following him. And it happened right in front of my house."
The LAPD says the chase started when they tried to pull over the suspect in what they believed was a stolen vehicle.