A man in a black Subaru SUV led law enforcement officers on an hourslong pursuit Sunday from Ventura County to the Victorville- Hesperia area and beyond in light Easter traffic.
The pursuit started at 5:16 p.m. Sunday in the area of King Drive and Perkin Avenue in Ventura when police officers tried to pull the man over for a traffic violation and he failed to yield, Ventura County Sheriff’s Capt. Chris Zapata told City News Service.
The pursuit got onto the southbound Ventura (101) Freeway and the California Highway Patrol took over.
Along the way, the man told a CHP dispatcher information that led authorities to believe he was wanted in connection with an attempted murder investigation, ABC7 reported.
The pursuit went into Los Angeles County about 6 p.m. and local CHP officers picked up the chase, as shown on CBS LA and ABC7.
The suspect switched to the Ventura (134) Freeway through Studio City, Toluca Lake, Burbank and Glendale, with speeds reaching 90 mph before he settled in at more moderate speeds in the 60s and 70s. Traffic was light all the way through.
The pursuit led to the eastbound Foothill (210) Freeway through the San Gabriel Valley and entered San Bernardino County, where the suspect got onto Interstate 215.
As the suspect approached I-15 in the Devore area, the CHP’s fourth attempt at causing tire damage with spike strips panned out and the Subaru’s left front tire came apart. But it didn’t go out enough to stop the fleeing suspect, and he was headed north on the 15 at speeds of 35 to 45 mph past Victorville to Barstow when TV helicopters had to stop just after 8 p.m. due to fuel and darkness concerns.
KCAL later reported that the man was arrested in Barstow. There were no further details about his identity or the attempted murder he was alleged to have committed.