An early morning traffic violation in Malibu escalated into a prolonged standoff when a man, wanted on a no-bail warrant, assaulted deputies with a fire extinguisher and barricaded himself inside his vehicle on the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH), as per KTLA. The incident, beginning around 1 a.m., led to the closure of a stretch of the PCH between Heathercliff Road and Busch Drive, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's post on X.
PCH is closed between Heathercliff Rd and Busch Dr due to an assault with a deadly weapon suspect barricaded in a vehicle. Please avoid the area until further notice.@CityMalibu @991KBU @acornnewspaper @TheMalibuTimes pic.twitter.com/eh9mMmAfN0
— LASD Lost Hills Stn. (@LHSLASD) August 21, 2024
Authorities surrounded the older model van, urging drivers to seek alternate routes such as Mulholland Highway or the 101 Freeway nearby, debris was scattered at the scene and after several hours a SWAT team was deployed for assistance while the standoff continued, reported KTLA. Amid this tense situation, motorists were asked to avoid the area, with officials providing no certain time frame for when the highway would reopen.
The deputies involved in the incident were reportedly unharmed despite the suspect's aggressive behavior, detailed by ABC7. Still, aerial footage from the scene showed the standoff entering daylight hours as law enforcement tactically positioned themselves around the vehicle, discussing strategies on how to best resolve the situation without further conflict or injuries.
Sheriff's officials described the suspect as being destructive during the attempted arrest, with the man's refusal to cooperate prolonging the stand-off, the vehicle sat immobilized on the highway's shoulder, reported CBS Los Angeles. Commuters have been significantly inconvenienced by the closure, and no additional updates regarding the resolution of the barricade situation or the reopening of the PCH have been provided by the authorities at this time.
