A routine patrol turned deadly early last month when Los Angeles police spotted a green Ford mini-van making a sketchy right turn at Central Avenue and Washington Boulevard. The LAPD attempted to pull over the mini-van, which had unofficial paper plates—a red flag for a possible stolen vehicle. The situation quickly escalated as officers discovered the occupants were armed, initiating a high-speed pursuit that ended tragically.
According to the LAPD Newsroom, the suspects, attempting to evade capture, were seen dumping a firearm from the vehicle before barreling onto the 10 Freeway. The chase continued, with the suspects reaching speeds of 80 mph before colliding with a city bus. After crashing into the MTA bus at the intersection of 17th Street and Main Street, two of the vehicle's occupants were killed. The recovered weapon, a loaded firearm, was later reported stolen from the City of Inglewood.
The Los Angeles Fire Department promptly responded, pronouncing one suspect dead on the scene while another was transported to a local hospital, where they too were pronounced dead. The LAPD's Multi-Disciplinary Collision Investigation Team (MCIT) took charge of the scene, unwrapping the complex details of the double fatal collision.
The driver, identified as 27-year-old Albert Diaz of Los Angeles, survived and faces serious charges, including murder. After crashing and causing the deaths of two individuals, Diaz was booked with a booking number of 6708279, as noted by LAPD officials. The community has been urged to aid the ongoing investigation by contacting the LAPD Traffic Group Detectives or to stay anonymous by reaching out to the LA Regional Crime Stoppers.
