A man who police say stole a Lowe’s box truck led authorities on a lengthy pursuit through Los Angeles and Ventura counties on Wednesday before a crash in Ventura led to a standoff, and then an attempt to run away on foot.
It’s unclear when the pursuit began, but a few minutes after 11:30 a.m., Sky5 was overhead as the chase moved through Pacific Palisades, Malibu, Camarillo, and Thousand Oaks, though weather and signal issues impacted live coverage of the chase at times.
Los Angeles Police Department officers were also limited by the weather and the driver’s erratic behavior, including swerving in and out of traffic, using turn lanes to pass slower vehicles or drive through red lights, and reaching up to 75 mph on some stretches of Pacific Coast Highway, despite roads being slick from recent rain.
LAPD officers pulled off the pursuit, though California Highway Patrol officers eventually took over at about 1 p.m.
CHP officers were present when the pursuit ended in Ventura after the box truck became stuck on a grassy area near the intersection of North Bank Drive and Ventura Boulevard, according to the CHP.
Footage from the scene shows CHP vehicles trapping the truck and officers surrounding the vehicle with their guns drawn.
The driver, however, initially refused to exit the truck, leading officers to deploy less-lethal ammunition toward him, according to the CHP.
The driver tried to flee on foot but was quickly taken into custody by officers. His identity has not been released.
The man was taken to Ventura County Medical Center “for precautionary measures,” CHP added.
Anyone who may have witnessed or have footage of the incident is asked to call the CHP Ventura Area at 805-662-2640.
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