A late-night motorcycle chase that started in L.A.’s South Bay ripped across the San Fernando Valley at reported speeds up to 120 miles per hour on Friday before ending in a Pasadena apartment garage, where officers moved in with guns drawn and took the rider into custody, authorities said.
The chase and arrest
Police say the pursuit kicked off in the South Bay and headed north on the 405 Freeway, with the motorcyclist reportedly hitting speeds of around 120 mph on the 101 and 134 freeways, according to CBS Los Angeles. Just after 11:10 p.m., officers say the rider exited in the Upper San Gabriel Valley, switched to surface streets, then merged onto the 210 Freeway westbound.
The pursuit came to a head when the motorcyclist rode into a parking garage beneath an apartment complex on E. Foothill Boulevard in Pasadena. Officers followed in, found the rider inside the structure and detained the person at gunpoint, authorities said. Police have not released the rider’s identity.
Pursuit policy and public safety
California agencies are required to constantly weigh public safety against the need to immediately catch a suspect during high-speed chases. Departments often lean on air units to track risky pursuits instead of pressing hard on the ground. The California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training’s pursuit guidance and its related reporting rules lay out those expectations and direct agencies to report pursuit data to the CHP, according to California POST.
What officials say and next steps
Police told CBS Los Angeles that the suspect has not been identified publicly and that no further information on possible charges was immediately available. Investigators are expected to review air-unit footage and traffic cameras as part of the follow-up, and authorities did not report any injuries to other motorists in the initial account.
