The heart of Beverly Hills was brought to a standstill Wednesday night by a driver who refused to get out of a suspected stolen car he crashed in a police pursuit.
Beverly Hills police and SWAT crews inserted non-lethal rounds into the wrecked Toyota. A resident with a clear view of the standoff recorded images that were posted on the Citizen App.
Tremendous resources were deployed to get a wanted driver out of the car at the intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and North Doheny Drive.
“The vehicle, unfortunately, struck three, not one pedestrian, as well as two other vehicles," Lt Max Subin of the Beverly Hills Police Department said. "Two occupants were also transported to local hospital. Suspect did get out. Then, jumped back in the vehicle.”
Get top local stories in Southern California delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC LA's News Headlines newsletter.
The man refused to leave the car for more than three hours, before police say they deployed 40 mm non-lethal rounds and three volleys of CS gas, a chemical agent.
The suspect was identified as Daniel Allen, 29, of Santa Clarita, and police said he's facing charges of felony evading and resisting arrest. Allen is expected to be arraigned on Wednesday.
Said Subin, “He barricaded himself in the car. As well as used blankets, sleeping bags all throughout the car. So, it was really tough to see inside. He was alone. There were no weapons that we noticed.”
Throughout the standoff, clusters of neighbors watched from the perimeter as police devised a plan. Police say they maintained contact with the suspected car thief, who was eventually hustled off to a hospital when the standoff concluded.
The three people he allegedly injured were treated and released, officials said.
Subin added, “We don’t have any motive. He was cooperative on the phone, kept talking many hours.”
Police say speed was obviously a factor in what they now say was a short duration pursuit of a suspected car stolen in Santa Clarita.
Closed since around 4:45 p.m., the affected roads were expected to reopen around 11 p.m.
