A driver is now in custody after a thrilling high-speed chase that spanned from south Orange County to the San Fernando Valley on Tuesday night. The incident began when officers attempted a welfare check, and the driver accelerated, prompting the pursuit.
The chase started in the Buena Park area of Orange County and proceeded onto the 5 Freeway, eventually crossing into Los Angeles County near Downey. From there, the driver continued north on the 5 Freeway, maintaining speeds of around 50 miles per hour as they traveled through East Los Angeles and Boyle Heights.
Upon reaching Boyle Heights, the driver transitioned to the 10 Freeway heading east before returning to the 5 North, eventually entering the San Fernando Valley. In the Sun Valley area, officers deployed a spike strip, causing the driver to slow down to approximately 30 miles per hour, but they continued driving. Later, in Arleta, the driver’s side front tire shredded, and a portion of the car’s bumper appeared to detach and fly off.
After covering several more miles, an officer executed a PIT (Precision Immobilization Technique) maneuver in the Sylmar area, momentarily stopping the car. However, the driver still refused to exit the vehicle. Officers resorted to using pepper balls, but the driver remained inside. Ultimately, law enforcement approached the car, smashed the windows on both the driver and passenger sides, and finally extracted the driver from the vehicle.
The pursuit showcased the efforts of law enforcement in their endeavor to apprehend the fleeing driver, employing various tactics to bring the dangerous situation to a conclusion.
