In the early hours of Monday, Feb. 13, officers from the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) were called to the University Park neighborhood in South LA, regarding a stolen vehicle. Officers arrived at the intersection of Flower Street and Jefferson Boulevard but were unable to find the person who reported the crime. They remained in the area and later spotted a truck with a trailer that matched the stolen vehicle’s description at the corner of Exposition Blvd. and Western Avenue in the Exposition Park area, two miles west of the initial location. A pursuit ensued when the driver refused to stop.
The suspect, later identified as Pedro Villalobos, continued southbound onto Hoover Street, where he crashed the trailer into a parked car. He then tried to escape by going eastbound on 42nd and Flower streets but lost control of the truck. Villalobos abandoned the vehicle and attempted to flee on a skateboard. The LAPD officers tried to stop him by running after him, while others continued following him in their patrol vehicles.
an officer successfully taking Villalobos down after he almost escaped by moving his shoulder forward when the officer tried to grab him. Although the officer was unable to reach his shoulder, he was able to touch Villalobos’ upper back area, which caused him to lose his balance. After falling, Villalobos was taken into custody, while the police investigated the incident as a law enforcement-related injury.
Villalobos suffered a leg injury and was taken to the hospital. No other injuries were reported in the incident.
