WEST COVINA — A wild police chase ended with a crash in West Covina Monday, authorities said.
Jose Francisco De La Torre, 33, of La Puente was booked on suspicion of felony evasion of police in connection with the chase, California Highway Patrol officials said.
A CHP officer tried to pull him over for defective tail lights, talking on a cell phone and speeding in his Ford Explorer shortly after 9 p.m. on the westbound 10 Freeway near Milliken Avenue in Ontario, CHP officials said in a written statement.
De La Torre led the officer, and others who joined the pursuit, on chase down the 10 Freeway before exiting at Sunset Avenue and circling through surface streets, officials said.
“De La Torre failed to stop for several red traffic lights and stop signs during the pursuit, as well as driving on the wrong side of the road,” according to the CHP statement.
When the Ford headed northbound on Azusa Avenue and appeared to be going back to the Freeway, a CHP officer employed a P.I.T. maneuver, causing the Ford to spin out and overturn, officials said.
De La Torre was uninjured and was taken to the sheriff’s Industry Station for booking.