The 40-minute police chase of a dog-caring driver of a stolen car – who, near the end of the chase, slowed down and let a fluffy white poodle mix dog out safely – was taken into custody, according to law enforcement officials.
The pursuit began Wednesday morning when the suspect was spotted allegedly driving a car reported stolen in a carjacking, LAPD Officer Sal Ramirez told The Signal.
“At 11:40 a.m., North Hollywood officers spotted the car and identified it as involved in a carjacking. The LAPD gave pursuit,” he said.
The pursuit began on Sherman Way and Laurel Canyon Boulevard in North Hollywood.
LAPD officers handed the chase over to officers of the California Highway Patrol, however, who then pursued the car through parts of the Santa Clarita Valley as the suspect drove north on Highway 14.
“We took over the pursuit from the LAPD,” CHP Officer Adam Tondreau, of the Newhall Station, said Wednesday afternoon.
When the suspect approached the SCV – at times reaching speeds of 100 miles per hour – he was seen getting off the highway and driving onto Sierra Highway.
At one point, CHP officers talked about laying down a spike strip to slow the suspect down.
“But, we didn’t do that,” Tondreau said.
The suspect got back on Highway 14 and drove north towards Palmdale, getting off at Pear Blossom Highway.
LAPD officers and television reporters – each in their respective helicopters – followed the pursuit from North Hollywood to Lancaster.
When the suspect was seen driving on the wrong side of the road, LAPD officers told pursuing officers to back off for a while.
When the pursuit resumed it didn’t last long, coming to a close when the suspect slowed down, opened the driver’s side door and let the dog out.
The dog landed on its feet and ran to the curb while the suspect continued down a side street for about a block, stopping only when he hit another vehicle.
The suspect was seen darting from the car but then falling face first on a driveway. He put up his hands as pursuing officers arrested him at 12:20 p.m.
“He slowed down and let the dog out,” Tondreau said. “It looked like the dog was OK.”
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