Suspected Car Thief Surrenders To Police On I-405 In Long Beach After High-Speed Chase
SOUTH GATE (CBSLA.com) — A man traveling in a stolen vehicle surrendered to police Monday after leading officers on a high-speed pursuit for nearly three hours through more than a dozen cities and communities.
The chase began around 10:30 a.m. when officers attempted to pull over the suspect in South Gate.
The pursuit went through Downey, Hacienda Heights, Rowland Heights, Diamond Bar, Pomona, Chino, South El Monte, Montebello, East L.A., Commerce, Bell Gardens, Lynwood, Harbor Gateway, Hawthorne and Willowbrook.
SKY2 captured the accused auto thief driving a gray Kia Crossover erratically on residential streets and the 105, 605, 60, 710 and 405 freeways.
At least seven police cruisers chased the suspect, who traveled at speeds reaching 90 mph.
He traveled in opposite lanes of traffic, blew through stop signs, rammed into at least two other vehicles and nearly struck a bicyclist. At one point, the driver threw papers out his window.
Officers deployed a spike strip but failed to stop the suspect.
Around 1:20 p.m., the vehicle appeared to have run out of gas on the southbound 405 Freeway in Long Beach. The driver got out of the minivan and surrendered to police on the freeway.
The CHP said there were reports the suspect was possibly suicidal and may have been high on drugs.
According to sources, there were some radio transmissions with the CHP saying the suspect was not going to give up without a fight and wanted to meet with his wife in Costa Mesa.
