A motorist described by police as a serial sexual assault suspect led officers on an extensive pursuit from the Harbor area to Culver City to West Los Angeles Thursday, occasionally tossing items from the SUV and repeatedly speeding up to avoid attempted PIT maneuvers.
The motorist began eluding officers mid-afternoon Thursday in the port area, initially heading north on the Harbor (110) Freeway before transitioning onto the San Diego (405) Freeway and later traveling on surface streets in the Inglewood and Westchester neighborhoods.
Police on several occasions attempted to deploy spike strips to stop the motorist, who generally adhered to speed limits and even stopped at red lights during the chase. At one point in the Westchester area, the driver pulled into a gas station and appeared to throw something out of the red SUV toward a man who was pumping gas. It was unclear what the suspect may have thrown.
After winding through more local streets — during which the driver would accelerate when police attempted to approach and use a PIT maneuver to spin the SUV to a stop — the suspect again entered the congested northbound 405 Freeway through the West Los Angeles area.
Police described the driver as a serial rape and possibly armed robbery suspect. Unconfirmed initial reports suggested the person may be wanted for assaults on the East Coast, possibly Boston.