Local News in Brief : Car-Theft Suspect Killed After Chase
Santa Monica police shot and killed a car-theft suspect Tuesday when he tried to ram a patrol car at the end of a high-speed chase on the Santa Monica Freeway, officials said.
The pursuit began about 10:30 a.m. after an unidentified man commandeered a 1989 Corvette at gunpoint from a salesman at Kramer Chevrolet during a test drive, Sgt. Dick Tapia said.
Police were quickly notified and caught up with the sports car on the eastbound Santa Monica Freeway and followed it at high speeds into Los Angeles, Tapia said.
The stolen car was involved in a freeway traffic accident near Robertson Boulevard and continued eastbound to Crenshaw Boulevard, where there was a second collision, Tapia said.
Officers said they opened fire on the driver when he placed the car in reverse, trying to ram a patrol car. The man was pronounced dead at the scene.
All lanes except for the inside fast lane of the freeway were closed while police from Santa Monica and Los Angeles investigated the shooting, causing “one terrible traffic jam,” California Highway Patrol Officer Monty Keifer said.
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