Authorities arrested the driver of a stolen SUV who crisscrossed Los Angeles County at high speeds — and at one point threw stacks of what appeared to be paper out of the window.
Light traffic on Memorial Day cleared the path for the driver to lead police on the more than two-hour chase across multiple cities, beginning about 11 a.m. in South Gate where officers spotted the man driving recklessly.
On a freeway transition road, the driver threw some sort of paper material out of the window and sideswiped a barrier.
Moments later as the driver went off road to avoid cars at a freeway exit, a bicyclist nearly crossed the SUV's path.
The SUV struck and pushed another car blocking its way at a red light, and may have sideswiped another car when the driver appeared to have lost control and swerved.
Police believed the man, later identified as 32-year-old Gilbert Barajas, may have been heading to a home improvement store in Costa Mesa, though the city's police department would not say why.
Just after 1 p.m., the gray Kia came to a stop on the 405 Freeway in Long Beach, where the man was arrested by California Highway Patrol officers after a brief stand off.
Barajas, the only occupant of the vehicle, was arrested on suspicion of felony evading, driving a stolen vehicle, receiving stolen property found in the stolen SUV, and assault with a deadly weapon, the South Gate Police Department said.
