Two men are in custody after a high-speed pursuit tore through the San Fernando Valley on Monday night, with a driver reportedly hitting nearly 120 mph on the 5 Freeway while his headlights were off before finally giving up to LAPD officers.
The chase started near Sylmar, continued onto the southbound 5 Freeway, and cut through Pacoima. At one point, a passenger jumped from the moving vehicle in Pacoima. The driver later exited the freeway into North Hollywood, then pulled over at Laurel Canyon Boulevard and Vanowen Street with his hands out, where both men surrendered to responding officers.
High-speed pursuits carry real public-safety risks, and the LAPD's own numbers back that up. According to an LAPD analysis, the department logged 4,203 pursuits from 2018 through March 2023 and found that a large share ended in collisions or required air-unit support. That internal data has fueled ongoing reviews of when officers should keep chasing drivers on freeways or surface streets, and when they should back off.
How the chase unfolded
The pursuit began near Sylmar and, according to CBS Los Angeles, moved through Pacoima before the driver merged onto the southbound 5 Freeway. Officers told reporters the driver was a known gang member and might have been armed. The car was clocked at speeds of about 120 mph, still with its headlights switched off, before exiting into North Hollywood and continuing on city streets at more than 80 mph. The ride finally ended at Laurel Canyon and Vanowen, where the driver stopped, and both occupants surrendered without further incident.
Why this matters
Pursuits that slice through residential neighborhoods and busy freeways raise obvious concerns about bystander safety and crash risks. The LAPD report notes that many pursuits are tied to stolen vehicles and reckless driving, and that dozens of chases are later ruled out of policy. That highlights the split-second trade-offs officers face on the street, as city oversight and post-pursuit reviews try to balance catching people who flee with keeping everyone else out of harm's way.
It was not immediately clear whether the two men would face criminal charges, and authorities had not released their names or booking details in the first wave of media reports. CBS Los Angeles first reported the surrender and outlined the timeline of the chase.
