Suspect crashes SUV into flood control channel before fleeing police on foot

A 39-year-old man is in custody after refusing to exit his vehicle, then leading police on a vehicle and foot pursuit in Irwindale, authorities said Saturday.

At about 11:07 p.m. Friday, a uniformed police sergeant pulled over a motorist inside a black Honda Pilot in the 2000 block of Buena Vista Street, according to Sgt. Rudy Gatto of the Irwindale Police Department.

"The Honda's driver refused to cooperate with the officers, refusing to provide his driver's license or other identifying information needed to verify his driving status," Gatto said. "After approximately 30 minutes of trying to gain the subject's cooperation without success, the officers attempted to arrest the driver for a number of vehicle code violations."

The motorist allegedly resisted arrest, refusing to exit the vehicle.

He sped way from the scene, leading officers on an approximately 1.5-mile, high-speed chase through the city, Gatto said.

The SUV crashed through a chain link fence in the area of Alpha Street, west of Avenida Barbosa, launching into the Buena Vista Flood Control Channel and disabling the vehicle, he said.

"Although injured, the suspect fled the vehicle on foot, leading the officers on an approximately one-mile foot pursuit through the flood control
channel," he said. "The suspect was eventually captured by officers near the 100 block of Longden Avenue."

The suspect, identified as Talsa Garron Walker, continued to resist arrest and had to be tasered, said Gatto, who added that the Los Angeles resident was arrested on suspicion of felony evading, felony resisting arrest with violence, as well as a number of vehicle code violations and an outstanding arrest warrant.

Walker was being held in lieu of $105,000 bail. No officers were injured and no other vehicles or motorists were injured during the crash.