Wild Police Chase Suspect Wanted For Assault With A Deadly Weapon Smashes Several Vehicles Before Capture
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Police chased a suspect wanted for an assault with a deadly weapon on surface streets and freeways Wednesday afternoon.
The pursuit began around 3:30 p.m in Downtown Los Angeles.
The suspect was reportedly wanted for a shooting earlier Wednesday.
The suspect drove in a white Mercedes with paper plates.
PHOTOS: Violent End To Police Pursuit In South LA
Stu Mundel in Sky 9 said, "I hate to use words like knucklehead but this guy is a knucklehead."
The suspect crashed into several vehicles. "They were some violent crashes," Mundel said, "I hope those people are okay."
One vehicle hit by the suspect flipped on its side. A team of a dozen officers attempted to turn the car upright. They ended up pulling the driver out through the windshield.
The chase ended in South LA.
The suspect put both hands out the driver's side window and was ordered out of the vehicle.
CBS2's Dave Lopez reported from the location.
Officials told Lopez the suspect was involved in a shooting Tuesday afternoon in South LA. Authorities located the suspect last evening but he got away after a short pursuit.
The suspect was spotted Wednesday afternoon on the 100 Freeway, police said. At 8th and Figueroa, there was a reporting shooting between the suspect and police.
Authorities said the suspect threw his weapon out the window and the chase started almost immediately.
KCAL9's Rachel Kim spoke to one woman the suspect hit.
"My concern was that they wouldn't be able to ge this person out of the vehicle," said Kim Epps. Her car was rear-ended by the dark sedan that flipped.
Epps was on her way home from the dentist when the accident happened.
"I just saw the car swerving around me," she says, "and I saw the lights, the police lights, Everything was just happening so quickly."
Epps told Kim she believes the officers who rescued the woman out of the black sedan are heroes.
"And I'm glad that I'm okay," she said, "my biggest concern was this lady [in the sedan]. I didn't know if she was going to make it."
The Fire Department said xix people were taken to the hospital. The most serious injuries were sustained by the woman in the sedan. Kim reported she had cuts to her head and a possible broken arm or shoulder.
An LAPD officer was also taken to the hospital. It's believed he got glass in his eye when they broke the window in the sedan to pull that victim to safety.
