Deputies Chase Reckless Driving Suspect, Reported Gang Member On SoCal Freeways
NORTH HOLLYWOOD (CBS) — Law enforcement chased a driver wanted for reckless driving across the San Gabriel and San Fernando valleys before apprehending the suspect in North Hollywood.
The chase began when the suspect, who's a reported gang member, failed to make a traffic stop, emergency dispatchers reported. The California Highway Patrol reported the suspect may be driving under the influence.
During the beginning of the pursuit, the suspect was leading deputies in circles between Whittier and Pico Rivera, according to the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department.
KCAL9's Derek Bell reported that the motorist had been circling around the area where the registered owner lives but may have been deterred from going to the apartment building after seeing several police cars surrounding the residence.
The suspect, driving a white 1996 BMW, hovered at about 30 mph as he ran through several red lights.
Authorities were able to pull up the information of the vehicle's registered owner but were unsure if the suspect driving was the actual owner, Sgt. Denise Joslin of the California Highway Patrol told KCAL9. No one has reported the vehicle as stolen.
KCAL9 contacted the mother of the registered owner of the car, who said her son is "not a bad person" and does not have a criminal record. She said the man driving is the brother of the vehicle's owner.
The CHP has since taken over the pursuit.
At about 8:45 the suspect got on the 605 Freeway and picked up his speed to 65 mph in the Irwindale area, where traffic was light. He then exited in Pasadena for a few moments before getting on the westbound 210 Freeway.
As of 9:25 p.m. he was driving on the northbound 170 Freeway in North Hollywood. By getting off the 134 Freeway he avoided running into a spike strip CHP officers laid out further down the highway to pop his tires.
At 9:27 p.m. the suspect pulled over on the 170 Freeway. Following officers' orders, he threw his keys outside of the car, raised his hands and walked in reverse to the row of CHP cars lined up across the freeway.
The driver was taken into custody at 9:30 p.m.
A young woman emerged from the driver's passenger side shortly thereafter and handcuffed by CHP officers.
