Carjacking suspect in Beverly Hills crashes into building near Rodeo Drive holiday lights show

4 injured after carjacking suspect crashes near Rodeo Drive holiday lights show

The Beverly Hills Police Department responded to the Rodeo Drive area after an SUV crashed into a building near the city's holiday light show Thursday night. 

Detectives said 22-year-old Pittsburgh resident James Portul allegedly carjacked a woman's black BMW X3 at around 7:05 p.m. in the 400 block of North Bedford Drive and drove towards the light show. Portul made it a couple of blocks until he lost control of the SUV and crashed into a pillar outside an office building near the Wilshire Boulevard and Camden Avenue intersection. 

A witness said he was speeding and skidding around the road before slamming into the corner of the building. 

A tow truck pulls the stolen SUV out of the building. KCAL News

Before striking the building, Portul allegedly ran over two men, one woman and a boy. The Beverly Hills Fire Department took all of the victims to the hospital in an unknown condition. Police said one of the victims was a vendor. 

Portul allegedly ran away from the crash site but officers assigned to a city event quickly detained him in the 200 block of South Beverly Drive. The Rodeo Drive holiday light show was a block away from the crash. 

It's unclear if the victims attended the event. 

Portul was arrested on two charges, carjacking and hit-and-run with injury.

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