Santa Monica witnessed a dramatic scene on Wednesday when 21-year-old Alex Villegas led police on a high-speed chase through Los Angeles County before being arrested at the Santa Monica Pier. Starting in Simi Valley, the pursuit saw speeds surpassing 100 mph. It wound its way through rush-hour traffic and onto surface streets where the stolen work van, registered to World Appliances Heating and Air Conditioning, zigzagged dangerously close to pedestrians and other vehicles.

The chase, which aired live on NBC Los Angeles, showed Villegas nearly sideswiping cars and narrowly avoiding pedestrians. According to FOX 11, the chase ended when the van got stuck at a red light and rear-ended another vehicle. Villegas abandoned the damaged vehicle and made a final foot race towards the oceanfront landmark. It was a chaotic scene as pedestrians jumped out of a path of the van on Santa Monica surface streets.

Villegas, who is a Santa Monica resident, continued to lead officers through the city, disregarding traffic signals and causing at least two collisions in his attempt to escape. As reported by ABC7, witnesses were able to capture the arrest on their cellphones as police apprehended him without further incident. He has since been booked on charges of possession of a stolen vehicle, hit-and-run, and felony evading.