A DUI suspect led police on a short pursuit Monday that ended with a crash in Sun Valley where he took off on foot and scaled the rooftop of a school building, authorities said.
Officers tried to stop the man for suspicion of driving under the influence at 3:42 a.m. Monday, Officer Norma Eisenman of the Los Angeles Police Department told City News Service.
Within minutes, the man had crashed his vehicle in the area of Arleta Avenue and Wicks Street and he took off on foot, she said. The suspect eventually climbed onto a roof on the grounds of Byrd Middle School in the 8500 block of Arleta Avenue.
Video from the scene showed the man talking to officers from the roof, which he apparently accessed with a ladder.
The standoff continued until about 6 a.m., when the man climbed down and was taken into custody, according to the LAPD.
The Los Angeles Unified School District issued a statement saying there would be extra patrols at the school on Monday.
“This morning, we were made aware of an incident that occurred on campus before students’ arrival. The Los Angeles Police Department responded to the campus and took a suspect into custody without incident,” according to the statement. “Our campus remains safe and open for instruction. In an abundance of caution, the Los Angeles School Police Department will be providing extra patrols around our school.”
The school’s principal encouraged parents to speak with their children and to follow the adage, “if you see something, say something.”