LA police chase: Suspect hits vehicle, jumps into another during wild 2-hour pursuit
LA police chase: Suspect hits vehicle, jumps into another during wild 2-hour pursuit
A suspect wanted for attempted murder led officers with the Los Angeles Police Department on a two-hour pursuit Friday afternoon that spanned across LA County, at one point ditching one vehicle and getting into another.
LOS ANGELES - Three people were taken into custody after a suspect, wanted for attempted murder, led officers with the Los Angeles Police Department on a pursuit Friday afternoon that spanned across Los Angeles County, at one point ditching one vehicle and getting into another.
The chase began sometime around noon in the area of 99th Street and Avalon Boulevard in the South Los Angeles area, before the driver in a Chevy Avalanche led LAPD officers in the South Bay area through the Inglewood and Westchester areas on both sides of the Los Angeles International Airport.
The suspect was seen driving erratically across multiple lanes, driving against traffic and making abrupt U-turns.
The vehicle lost one of its tires, but the driver continued to flee from police, driving on the rims of the vehicle.
Around 12:49 p.m., the driver crashed into an Audi but continued to flee. Shortly thereafter, the driver ditched the Chevy truck and got into the back of another vehicle, that appeared to be waiting for the suspect.
At least two other people in the Chevy Avalanche were seen fleeing the vehicle and were taken into LAPD custody.
According to the LAPD, a weapon was recovered from the back of the Chevy Avalanche.
The chase continued at high speeds on surface streets in Willowbrook before the driver in the second vehicle led authorities back to the South LA area.
More than half a dozen LAPD cruisers continued to follow the attempted murder suspect in the second vehicle.
The driver of the second vehicle continued to flee police with a flat tire on the rear of the driver's side.
The pursuit continued in residential areas across several South LA neighborhoods, including South Park and Green Meadows before moving back to Westchester where the suspect narrowly missed pedestrians in a bank parking lot.
At one point during the chase, someone in the car tossed a puppy, that was placed inside a purse, from the moving car on 56th St and Figueroa. LAPD officers quickly recovered the puppy and it is now being taken care of at the South LA Animal Services.
Within minutes, the pursuit moved to the South Bay and continued in Torrance on main streets including Del Amo Boulevard and Western Avenue.
Just after 2 p.m., two suspects got out of the vehicle and made a run for it in LA's Harbor Gateway neighborhood, going in opposite directions.
One of the suspects surrendered in front of a home where they were surrounded by officers and subsequently taken into custody. The female driver was also taken into custody.
In total, three people were arrested, the police department announced Saturday morning. The suspects were identified as 27-year-old Gustavo Alvarez, 27-year-old Lynette Moreno and 25-year-old Michelle Zamudio.
Alvarez was wanted for an attempted murder and carjacking that occurred on March 26 in the area of 101st Street and San Pedro St. Police say Moreno was arrested for setting up the second getaway vehicle and Zamudio was arrested for driving the second getaway vehicle.