On Wednesday night, after a pursuit featuring a suspected auto thief who was thought to be armed and hazardous, officers from the law enforcement agency in Los Angeles took five persons into custody.
At approximately 10:30 p.m., Sky5 joined the almost hour-long pursuit in the westbound lanes on the Interstate 10 Freeway. The dark-colored Honda the driver was operating soon after left the motorway and reached speeds of up to 60 miles an hour on secondary streets.
Sky5 film shows the reckless driver running red lights, swerving into oncoming traffic, and narrowly escaping crashes.
Trouble In The Heat Of Pursuit
The suspect stopped the car at the intersection of West 18th and Bonnie Glen streets in the Pico-Union neighborhood, and two others, a man and a woman, got out and ran away. Both passengers were eventually apprehended by authorities.
Near Venice Boulevard and Courtland Street, another male passenger exited the automobile and quickly turned himself in to the police. Once again, the criminal fled.
Later, officers used spike strips, resulting in the loss of one tyre. Sparks and smoke could be seen billowing from the truck as it fishtailed on the road, as seen by Sky5’s cameras.
When the motorist finally stopped, LAPD officers encircled the vehicle on South Victoria Street, close to Olympic Avenue in the Westlake neighbourhood.
The driver of the vehicle & an additional passenger got out of the car and were arrested when they both laid unconscious on the road.
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Just A Few Months Ago, Something Quite Similar Occurred
A suspect in a stolen car leads LAPD on a chase that tragically ends in a hit-and-run crash that claims the life of one of the officers involved.
Around 7:45 p.m. on January 31, 2023, Foothill patrol units saw a stolen car travelling through Pacoima and was ready to pull it over. The driver then abruptly took off, leading police on a high-speed chase for four minutes.
Tracking was set up as the pursuit carried on. At the junction of Woodman Road and Lanark Street, the car that was stolen slammed into another vehicle after running a red phase tri-light signal just before tracking was began.
Sadly, both the driver as well as the passenger in this car died as a result of their severe injuries.
After the collision brought the stolen vehicle to a stop, the suspect driver (later determined to be Oscar De La Cruz) hopped out and ran away on foot.
De La Cruz was apprehended following a brief foot pursuit by police and some minimal force. When De La Cruz was taken into prison, the police saw that she was breathing heavily and claimed to be high on something.
De La Cruz freely admitted to his use of heroin and fentanyl, both of which he injected. Officers gave De La Cruz three doses of Narcan, which helped him get better.
Ambulances were called for and arrived promptly after the crash to tend to the injured. Another person, who had been injured to a lesser extent, was inside the stolen vehicle.
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Consequences Of This Terrible Event
De La Cruz had been taken to a nearby hospital for treatment of his force-related injuries. De La Cruz was given permission to report to the Valley Detention Section for processing under California Penal Code Section 187. He is being held on $500,000 bail. De La Cruz had a long record of criminal activity and was previously on parole.
The investigation is being conducted by a team of experts from several fields. We’d like to stress the importance of stopping after a car accident to ensure no one was hurt, call for help if necessary, and exchange information with the other drivers involved. Don’t turn an accident on the road into a criminal act.
Two counts of “Vehicular Manslaughter” in violation of Section 192(c)(1) of the the state of California Penal Code; a single count of One form of “Felony Hit и Run” is “Fleeing a Complete Police Officer’s Vehicle Causing Death.”
Which is illegal under California Vehicles Code 2800.3(b). in violation of Section 20001(b) of the the state of California Vehicle Code.
And one measure of “Driving Without the Business owners Consent” in violation of The District Attorney’s Office will receive the results of the toxicological (opioids plus methamphetamines) and car reconstructions at an extra cost.
There is a Parole Violation No Bail Order out for De La Cruz’s arrest. De La Cruz will return to court on February 16, 2023.
Conclusion
At the very end of the pursuit, both the driver and a female passenger got out of the car and handed themselves in. Soon later, both of them were arrested. The identities of the suspects, notably the three who fled during the pursuit, were not immediately made public.
