A driver in a stolen SUV was caught fleeing at very high speeds on a freeway in Los Angeles, California. At one point during the now-viral chase, the driver encountered a group of dirt bike riders, who began popping wheelies right in front of the SUV in an arguably dangerous, albeit thrilling demonstration.
As reported by ABC7, which also shared footage of the chase, the incident occurred on Tuesday, July 28. Reportedly, earlier in the day, a white Mercedes-Benz SUV was stolen in the Laguna Beach area.
The suspect, who has not been publicly named, took hold of the SUV while armed with a handgun. Driving off at high speeds, cruisers with the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) began following the SUV shortly after.
By 6 p.m., the driver was traveling southbound on the 405 Freeway in the right shoulder while passing other vehicles. Cruisers cautiously followed the speeding vehicle as they moved toward the Del Rey area, exiting the freeway.
Reckless Driving
At 6:15 p.m., the chase moved eastbound on Slauson Avenue. The driver is accused of running red lights, weaving in and out of traffic, and occasionally driving the wrong way.
By 6:20, the driver entered the 110 Freeway and traveled northbound. Footage shows the cruisers following closely while traveling on the entrance ramp right below an overpass.
It was at this moment that the most nerve-wracking bit of the chase occurred. Just as the SUV was entering the freeway, several dirt bikers were popping wheelies in their lane.
Bikers vs. Fleeing SUV
Two different bikers came close to colliding with the SUV. At first, one red and white motorbike can be seen narrowly avoiding making contact with the SUV as it entered the freeway.
Then, and most notably, a biker riding a green and white dirt bike seemed to approach the white SUV and even taunt him with his wheelies. For a moment, it appeared as if the biker was trying to make the SUV slow down.
As the vehicle didn’t, and perhaps hearing the sirens coming from the pursuing cruisers, the biker decided to stop his wheelie and let the SUV pass. The footage then zooms out as the vehicles are obscured by elevated highways, with the SUV eventually reemerging, now with no dirt bikes in sight.
Chase Finally Ends
The chase continued until about 6:30 p.m. At that time, the driver exited the freeway and entered a parking structure near the intersection of Hill Street and Eighth Street.
A perimeter was set up, and officers began looking for the suspect. Multiple individuals inside the SUV were taken into custody, but the LAPD said that one additional person managed to escape the garage. Authorities have yet to release the names of those who were handcuffed.