A driver who led police on a pursuit from Crescenta Valley to North Hollywood instigated a standoff after refusing to surrender to law enforcement. Alex Rozier reports for the NBC4 News at 4:30 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 16, 2024.
A high-speed pursuit in the San Fernando Valley ended Monday when the driver collided with another vehicle and crashed into a curb, causing the car's airbags to deploy on a North Hollywood street.
The chase began east of Los Angeles with a report of a reckless driver in a black Ford Taurus. The driver headed west from the Sunland-Tujunga area at high speeds through the San Fernando Valley.
At one point, the driver was on the wrong side of the 210 Freeway before turning back on the dirt shoulder of the road. There were several close calls at busy valley intersections.
In North Hollywood, the Taurus went through a red light and was struck in the driver's side rear. A short time later, the driver struck a curb and the car's airbags appeared to deploy.
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The car stopped and deputies pulled in behind. A standoff ensued in the residential neighborhood at about 3:30 p.m. when the driver did not exit the car. The driver in sunglasses and a cap appeared to pull back the airbag and look out the driver's side window.
The door opened and closed several times, but the driver remained in the car. Sometime shortly before 5 p.m., the driver exited the vehicle again and officers tackled that individual to the ground, detaining them.
