2 Men, Woman Arrested In West Covina After Catalytic Converter Theft In Irwindale Leads To Police Pursuit
IRWINDALE (CBSLA) — Two men and a woman face grand theft and burglary charges after leading police on a car chase that started with a stolen catalytic converter from the Irwindale area.
Alfredo Paredes Ramirez, 35, 38-year-old Herbert Tecero, and 38-year-old Lejoi Louise Mims, all of Los Angeles, were arrested late Sunday night, Irwindale police said in a statement.
Irwindale police say the trio were in a silver 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee that had just fled a business, where a catalytic converter was stolen from a vehicle parked outside. Officers tried to pull the Jeep over in the area of Irwindale Avenue and 4th Street, but it took as the officers approached the vehicle, according to police.
The officers gave chase, pursuing the Jeep through Irwindale and into the city of West Covina, where it eventually hit three uninvolved civilian vehicles at West Covina Parkway and Sunset Avenue. Two of the Jeep's passengers were detained at the crash, and the third ran into the West Covina Civic Center, where he was arrested by West Covina police officers.
According to police, the stolen catalytic converter was found inside the Jeep, along with hand tools, power saws, saw blades and a rolling car jack.
None of the people, including two children, in the uninvolved vehicles that were hit at the end of the chase were hurt. However, Mims was treated at a hospital for minor injuries.
Ramirez faces an additional charge of felony evading and traffic related violations. All three have been released with citations due to COVID-19 booking restrictions and ordered to appear in court at a later date.
