WEST COVINA — West Covina police arrested a suspected car thief following a pursuit Wednesday.
The suspect’s name was not available late Wednesday as he was taken to a hospital to be examined before being booked, West Covina police Lt. David Rozeboom said.
The incident began as a hit-and-run crash about 6:30 p.m. at Azusa and Cameron avenues, the lieutenant said.
The suspect allegedly fled the scene after the non-injury crash, with a good Samaritan following behind, Rozeboom said.
With the help of the witness and a helicopter, police were able to get behind the suspect, who was driving a car that had been reported stolen, as he continued southbound on Azusa Avenue, police said.
When police tried to pull the car over just north of the 60 Freeway, Rozeboom said, it accelerated onto the westbound highway. The chase reached speeds approaching 100 mph.
The car exited at Rosemead Boulevard near the Whittier Narrows Recreation Area and quickly crashed into a van, the lieutenant said. The suspect continued fleeing on foot but was captured in the area.
The two crashes the suspect was involved in resulted in no injuries to the involved drivers, police added.
Rozeboom said police expected to book the suspect on suspicion of auto theft, evading police and hit-and-run.
West Covina had another car chase among several this week. The one on Monday night ended in an innocent person getting broad sided at a high rate of speed by the car being pursued by the police.
The point of my comment is that police chases are dangerous to the innocent bystanders, and the police need another mechanism to capture these offenders.
I blame the police for this collision that could have been deadly if the bystanders car was not new and minimized the danger to its driver.
This pursuit started at eleven PM and went on till almost midnight. During that time there were many intersections that could have resulted in a collosion by either the suspect or the myriad police following him.
The police need a safer way to catch these suspects, with a half a dozen helicopters following the suspect, the police don’t need to be in hot pursuit unless the suspect is doing something other than fleeing the scene. LIke shooting at the police or bystanders.
The police at one point were in back of the suspect’s vehicle when it stopped abruptly and completely. The first police car was shortly followed by at least two more cars at the stop.
The police were out of there vehicles and trying to command the suspect to get out, but after a short while the suspect took off again. This time the chase would end in a collision with an innocent bystander.
I blame the police for being incompetent and or sadly untrained in this pursuit. A the stop when the suspect wouldn’t come out the police should prevented him from leaving the stop. They could have boxed him in at the stop, they could have shot out his tires or something else to prevent him from leaving the scence. Had they done this the innocent bystander would not have been T boned.
Also when the suspect collided with the bystander the cops paid more attention to the suspect and basically acted as if the bystander was dead.
They couldn’t tell that from just looking into the vehicle, and when the fireman came to the vehicle he had no sense of urgency. He walked like he was the coroner.
This result could have been fatal, and it was only luck that the bystander didn’t die from the collision.
I say collision because it was not accident, it was intentional in the sense of convicting a DUI for muder. The DUI person didn’t intend to kill anyonee, yet according to the law that is what is implied by just drinking. In the police chase killing someone is not intentional per se but it is more than likely.
The police are the catalyst for these collisions and putting the public in jeopardy.
Scores of police in hot pursuit of a suspect only magnifies the possible collisions with innocent bystanders.
If a suspect were to do a pit maneuver on a police car, their would be charges of using a deadly weapon, but when the police do it there is no mention of deadly force. Why not?
Yes the suspect is guilty and a danger to the public but the police magnify that danger.
The TV media call this breaking news but it is just an opportunity for them to try and draw viewers. These TV hosts can’t shut up so they talk and talk where no talk is necessary. The suspect is not listening to them and they don’t know what the suspect will do nor what the police will do next. Apparently the suspect and the police don’t know what they should do.
If the police have helicopters on the scene then let them do the following, and unless this is a known killer or felon then if they get away, let the police find them later.
The police have a dirty job, but they chose it. They should be trained better than they appear to be because they can use deadly force. To protect and serve, they need to be well trained and smart.