A car chase that started in Long Beach ended with a splash in the Port of Los Angeles after a man suspected of stealing a car drove into the ocean in an attempt to evade police.
The pursuit started around 9 a.m. in Long Beach on Pacific Coast Highway near the 710 Freeway when officers saw a stolen Acura, Officer Alvino Herrera said. The driver did not pull over when officers tried to stop the car.
The suspect in the Acura drove onto the 710 Freeway and the California Highway Patrol took over the pursuit at 19th Street and Pacific Street in San Pedro at around 9:10 a.m. The pursuit ended at the Cabrillo Beach parking lot at the entrance to the launch ramp, Port of L.A. spokesman Phillip Sanfield said.
A the conclusion of a @CHP pursuit where the suspect drove his vehicle into the water from the Cabrillo Beach Launch Ramp, @LAPortPolice Marine and Dive Units assisted with taking the suspect safely into custody and removing his vehicle from water. pic.twitter.com/s8tUuf9AQS
— LA Port Police (@LAPortPolice) January 19, 2019
Marine Units cleared the area of recreational boats and CHP requested the use of Port Police Patrol Canine Unit when the suspect was not compliant during a standoff, according to Sanfield.
At about 10:48 a.m., the suspect drove the Acura into the water off the launch ramp, got out of the car and swam in the outer harbor towards the Angels Gate lighthouse, Sanfield said. Port Police took the suspect into custody without use of force and transported him back to the launch ramp and into CHP custody.
The Port Police Dive Team will work on recovering the submerged car from the launch ramp.