Woman in stolen car rams police cruiser, injures officer in wild Van Nuys chase, authorities say
A woman driving a stolen car rammed a police cruiser, then led authorities on a wild pursuit Thursday morning that ended with officers dragging her out of the car, according to police and TV news video of the incident.
The chase began about 2:15 a.m. at Sherman Way and Haskell Avenue in Van Nuys, where officers conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle that was reported stolen, said LAPD Officer Irma Mota.
The driver stopped for a moment, but then sped off with police in pursuit, Mota said.
During that chase, the woman stopped again and officers jumped out of their vehicle and ordered her out of the car, Mota said. That’s when the driver threw the car into reverse and rammed the passenger door the police vehicle, injuring the officer who was positioned behind it, Mota said.
The woman then drove off, followed by other officers. She finally stopped after she drove onto a sidewalk and hit a utility pole, police said. Video from the scene showed the woman standing up in her car — the top half of her body poking through the vehicle’s sun roof — and smoking a cigarette.
Officers eventually closed in and grabbed her but she appeared to struggle. After a few moments officers pulled her out of the car and put her face-down on the ground. The woman continued to smoke her cigarette until an officer finally flicked it out of her mouth.
Police identified the driver as Christina Ohanian, 25. She was booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and driving a stolen vehicle, among other charges.
The injured officer was treated at a hospital and released, Mota said.
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