Chaos ensued on the streets of Pasadena as a high-speed chase involving a black Mercedes G-Wagon, reported stolen, concluded in a violent series of events that left multiple people injured, including an LAPD officer. According to KTLA, the pursuit began near Century Boulevard and Figueroa Streets when the suspect failed to pull over for police, instead accelerating onto the 110 Freeway and eventually into Pasadena.
The vehicle, a luxury SUV known for its formidable size and price tag, barrelled through the city's streets before the suspect collided with another motorist at the junction of Foothill and Sierra Madre boulevards, and the G-Wagon was subsequently seen rolling over several times in footage captured by KTLA. In the hectic pursuit that had officers trailing the stolen vehicle, a police cruiser collided on Walnut Street east of Hill Street. details about this wreck are lacking, and it's unclear what caused the two vehicles to crash, as mentioned by NBC Los Angeles.
Following the collision, the G-Wagon erupted into flames, a scene observed by NewsChopper4, while the LAPD officer involved in the separate crash received medical attention at the spot of the patrol car's crash. CBS Los Angeles reports that the fiery conclusion of the chase came after a lengthy pursuit that originated in Pico-Union, with the suspect leading officers on a dangerous course that spanned several neighborhoods.
Authorities confirmed the suspect was in custody shortly after the crash; meanwhile, three individuals, one of them an LAPD officer, were transported for hospital care, though their conditions had not been disclosed. This incident has once again thrown a spotlight on the risks of police pursuits, the balances of the need to apprehend suspects versus the potential harm to bystanders and the officers thrown into the fray on our city streets.
