A suspected car thief was arrested early Friday after leading Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies on a chaotic pursuit through the Los Angeles River basin, driving at high speed with the vehicle’s hood flipped up and blocking the windshield before eventually crashing and trying to flee on foot.
A Chase Into the Riverbed
Deputies began the chase around 2 a.m. in the Compton area after spotting a vehicle reported stolen, authorities said. It wasn’t immediately clear where the pursuit first began. As deputies followed, the suspect drove into the concrete L.A. River wash near the 710 Freeway and Florence Avenue, a stretch of concrete channel that’s about as unforgiving a place as any to attempt high-speed evasive driving.
Driving Blind at High Speed
Video from the scene showed the vehicle moving at a high rate of speed through the riverbed with the hood fully raised, blocking most of the driver’s forward view. Despite that severely limited visibility, the suspect kept going through the basin before ultimately losing control. The vehicle spun out inside the riverbed and came to a stop, bringing the chase to its first real turning point.
Foot Chase Ends in Arrest
After the crash, the suspect got out of the disabled vehicle and ran toward a grassy area near Rosemead Boulevard. Deputies quickly set up a containment perimeter, and the suspect was located and taken into custody a short time later.
Authorities reported no injuries from either the pursuit or the crash. Information about the suspect’s identity and any potential charges hasn’t been released yet. The investigation remains ongoing as deputies work to piece together the full circumstances surrounding the stolen vehicle and the events that led up to the pursuit.