So happy that Gordo made it! Feel better soon little guy! #savethewhitedog #Pursuitdog pic.twitter.com/3tgD0KbJet
— Pug Nation Rescue LA (@PugNationRescue) September 18, 2014
A small white dog that was seriously injured when it was struck by a van being chased by police in South Los Angeles was being treated at a Culver City veterinary facility Thursday, while the stolen van’s driver and his female passenger remained jailed.
The driver, 21-year-old Yovany Ervin Rodriguez of Los Angeles, and his female passenger, 26-year-old Gwendi Yarubi Valenton of Bakersfield, were each booked on suspicion of unlawfully taking a vehicle, according to California Highway Patrol Officer Dion Conley. Rodriguez’s bail was set at $75,000 and Valenton’s at $25,000.
The chase began about 8 p.m. Wednesday in the area of 77th Place and Central Avenue when deputies tried to stop a Chevrolet Astro Van that was reported stolen. Rodriguez, who drove at speeds estimated as high as 100 mph, shut off his lights, veered across lanes, went the wrong way, drove through parking lots and onto sidewalks and nearly hit some pedestrians, according to the CHP.
During the pursuit, it appeared Rodriguez was talking to people on the streets and knew the territory. He swerved on and around Manchester Avenue for much of the chase. Eventually, Los Angeles police and CHP officers joined the pursuit and tried to stop Rodriguez as he raced through the South Los Angeles neighborhood.
Just before 9 p.m., LAPD officers unsuccessfully attempted to use a PIT maneuver to stop the vehicle. The chase continued despite the van having at least three flat tires, producing sparks. The van then went over a spike strip.
During the chase, Rodriguez hit a small white dog named Gordo, who was taken to City of Angels Animal Hospital in Culver City by his owner, Santos Son, according to Conley.
The year-old dog is expected to survive, but will require surgery to either repair internal injuries and fractured bones in his right hind leg or to amputate the limb, veterinarians at the hospital told reporters.
“The fact that he didn’t bleed out from this trauma is incredibly lucky,” Kim Terry, one of two surgeons who treated the dog, said. “We believe the car, which was running on rims, one of the rims may have actually sliced through the back part of his thigh just adjacent to his colon.”
Several people have called the hospital, offering to pay for the surgery. Some reports have indicated that thousands of dollars have already been pledged — by donors as far away as New York — to help pay for Gordo’s care.
The chase eventually ended when the CHP performed a PIT maneuver at the corner of Manchester and Wadsworth avenues, according to Conley. Rodriguez and Valenton finally emerged from the van and surrendered to CHP officers.
Both suspects had previous run-ins with the law. According to jail records, Rodriguez — who has also used the name Yovani Irvin Rodriguez — was arrested April 22 on an unspecified felony charge and released Aug. 20.
Rodriguez was also involved in multiple cases that were handled at the Compton courthouse, where he was sentenced to jail and probation.
Valenton was jailed July 1 for an unspecified misdemeanor after being arrested in South Los Angeles by sheriff’s deputies, according to jail records. She was released the same day on $30,000 bail.
— City News Service