Suspected burglars lead wild police pursuit with BMW sedan as it falls apart

A report of burglars in Walnut turned into a wild chase across a wide swath of Southern California that ended with a crash into a big rig truck and four people in custody.

According Los Angeles County sheriff's officials, a homeowner reported they were hiding in their bathroom because people were inside the home. They were woken up when their home alarm system went off, alerting them that someone had broken into their garage. The suspects ran from the home and sped away in a black BMW, and when deputies checked the plates on the vehicle, they found they belonged to another vehicle.

The high-speed chase went on and off freeways and barreled through surface streets through East Los Angeles, Commerce, Cerritos, Baldwin Park, Irwindale, San Dimas, Rowland Heights and ended up in North Long Beach. At some point, the BMW's right front tire went flat, but the driver continued at speeds of 70 mph, weaving in and out of heavy traffic, and side-swiping vehicles and even pushing one vehicle out of its way at one point.

The BMW's right front tire eventually went down to the rim, which sparked for much of the pursuit. The BMW's rear bumper was also ripped off, eventually falling off at high speed. During the pursuit, the California Highway Patrol advised pursuing units that pieces of metal were being thrown off the car and to beware as to avoid damaging their own vehicles.

Eventually, the BMW lost control and slammed into the back of a big rig truck's trailer on the 91 Freeway at Downey. The people inside took off running across lanes, jumped the center divider and into oncoming lanes, before finally stopping and surrendering to police.

Two other people who remained in the disabled BMW eventually emerged from the back seat and were also detained.

The names of the four arrested were not immediately available.