By Jim Holt and Emily Alvarenga
Signal Staff Writers
After the harrowing highway pursuit of an RV, which ended in a brief foot chase, a Winnetka woman was arrested on suspicion of evading police and assault with a deadly weapon, namely a motorhome.
The high-speed pursuit, which began with a traffic stop near Towsley Canyon, wound through the Newhall Pass and ended 23 miles away in Tarzana.
In the end, California Highway Patrol officers apprehended the driver of a suspected stolen motorhome.
Late Tuesday afternoon, deputies with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department spotted what they believed was a stolen motorhome in Towsley Canyon.
Then they tried pulling the driver over in a traffic stop, Lt. Andrew Dahring, with the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station, said Tuesday night.
Shortly after that, deputies began their pursuit of the vehicle, which failed to yield, sheriff’s officials said.
Deputies pursued the vehicle southbound on The Old Road until 7:07 p.m., when CHP officers took over the pursuit at Weldon Canyon Road.
The motorhome was followed to the westbound lanes of the 118 Freeway, Dahring said.
“The motorhome continued to flee using the freeway and surface streets,” CHP officers reported in their arrest report.
During the pursuit, the motorhome collided with multiple vehicles, causing minor damage to some but major damage to others, according to the CHP.
The chase came to an end when the motorhome intentionally left the roadway, striking another vehicle, which had tried to avoid the approaching motorhome, the CHP report said.
The driver of the motorhome ran from the abandoned vehicle, but was taken into custody several minutes later.
The suspect was taken to the Northridge Hospital Medical Center. CHP officials reported that her injuries were minor.
The driver of the second vehicle, which tried to get out of the motorhome’s way, suffered major injuries after the collision, according to the CHP.
Dogs seen in the motorhome were recovered by officers of the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control.
During the pursuit, the motorhome hit several vehicles before coming to a stop near Tampa Avenue and Wells Drive in Tarzana, according to CHP Officer Stephan Brandt.
The driver was detained by CHP officers at approximately 7:35 p.m., Brandt said.
The suspect, a 52-year-old woman, was taken into custody with bail set at $100,000.
The motorhome was recovered after the incident.
