An armed suspect kept officers on edge for nearly two hours Thursday during a high-speed pursuit that stretched across multiple Los Angeles County communities before ending in a dramatic takedown.
The chase began after a shooting at a Pomona apartment complex. California Highway Patrol officers spotted a vehicle matching the description police were searching for and attempted to pull it over. The driver refused to stop, setting off a pursuit that would wind through some of the region’s busiest freeways and remote back roads.
The suspect first headed north toward Bakersfield, then suddenly cut through a gap in the median and reversed course, heading south back toward the San Fernando Valley. Officers tried to end the chase early using spike strips and later requested permission to perform a PIT maneuver, but the suspect kept going.
For nearly an hour, the vehicle stayed on the 5 Freeway before exiting onto Lake Hughes Road near Castaic Lake. As the pursuit continued through winding roads in the area, officers say the suspect began throwing objects out of the passenger-side window.
Police made multiple attempts to disable the car with spike strips. One finally struck the driver’s side tire near Lancaster, slowing the vehicle down — but the suspect kept driving, refusing to give up.
The pursuit finally came to an end near the intersection of 20th Street W. and W. Avenue K, where CHP officers executed a PIT maneuver to force the car to stop.
Moments later, the armed suspect stepped out and surrendered to police, bringing the lengthy ordeal to a close.
No further details about the suspect’s identity or motive have been released. The investigation into the original shooting remains ongoing.
