Traffic was at a standstill for hours on the Riverside (91) Freeway near Lakeview Avenue Friday as a pursuit suspect barricaded himself in a car until he was removed, motionless, in the early afternoon.
California Highway Patrol officials were alerted to a pursuit from Corona police just after 8 a.m., CHP Officer Sergio Rivera said.
They suspect was believed to be armed and dangerous, according to broadcast reports. He stopped the car just west of Lakeview and refused to come out, Rivera said.
Police vehicles pinned the suspect’s vehicle as officers attempted to negotiate with him to get out, Rivera added.
At some point, officers noted there was “no more movement in the car,” prompting the authorities to use flash bangs to startle the suspect to see if he was conscious, Rivera said.
When they saw he was still motionless, the officers went in and removed him from the car, Rivera said.
The eastbound lanes were reopened, but the westbound lanes remained closed as investigators processed the crime scene, Rivera said.
The closure resulted in a miles-long backup in both directions. Westbound traffic was diverted off on Lakeview and eastbound traffic was rerouted to the southbound Costa Mesa (55) Freeway, Rivera said.
Drivers and passengers were getting out of their cars, which were stopped behind about a dozen law enforcement vehicles.
Shelter-in-place orders at Crescent Elementary School and Orange Pre-K were lifted by the afternoon and all students have been sent home, said Hana Brake, a spokeswoman for the Orange Unified School District.