An extremely slow police chase in Los Angeles came to a halt Friday evening after an apparent bystander ran in front of a top-down convertible and pushed the surrendering driver toward a crowd of police officers.
The more than hour-long pursuit, which at times clocked in at below 10 miles per hour, captivated nearby onlookers and news broadcasters, alike. The driver, wearing a newsboy cap, waved to crowds watching the bizarre display from the sidewalk and their stalled cars on the streets of Tarzana and Encino in the San Fernando Valley.
The driver is thought to have been under the influence, authorities told local media. A sign that read "Victory" hung on the driver's black Ford Mustang. The sign was embellished with stars.
Crazy dude stands in front of LA police chase, rips suspect out of car, delivers to police, THEN GETS ARRESTED!?!? — Rob Perez (@World_Wide_Wob) May 22 2015
The car's hazard lights flashed throughout the chase, which involved roughly 10 police vehicles. The driver was moving so slowly that he was able to easily avoid a spike strip set by officers in an attempt to end the pursuit. He often stopped at red lights and smiled as bystanders snapped photos. He also flashed "V" signs with his index and middle fingers. Some people could be seen running alongside him at points during the chase.
Just came across a bizarre slow speed pursuit on Ventura Boulevard in Encino. I yelled, why and he pointed to the victory sign on his car. We've learned from police he is a vet considered "unstable". Go to @myfoxla we're streaming it live. #Pursuit A video posted by Gina Silva (@ginasilvaworld) on May 22, 2015 at 6:34pm PDT
The bulk of the chase, which ended at 6:50 p.m. PT, can be seen in the video below.
The chase began after the driver wouldn't pull over for police, Los Angeles Police Department spokesman Tony Im told the Los Angeles Times. An off-duty firefighter initially called police about the allegedly impaired driver.
#Chase update: Police have the suspects' car and he's in custody. "Victory Parade" over. pic.twitter.com/sk42oQU5Xa— Melissa MacBride (@ABC7Melissa) May 23, 2015
As of this writing, the identities of the driver and the bystander who ended the chase have yet to be publicized. It is still unclear what motivated the driver to launch his so-called victory parade.
If found to be driving under the influence after a sobriety test, the driver could be charged for the crime, as well as evading a police and other crimes, Im told the Times. The bystander who stopped the car could also be charged with a crime, he said, adding that his actions were "dangerous."
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