A driver of a suspected stolen Mercedes-Benz was taken into custody late Thursday following a low-speed pursuit that wound through South Los Angeles and onto the eastbound Interstate 10 Freeway, according to the California Highway Patrol and local law enforcement reports.
Pursuit Originates in Paramount Area
According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, deputies initiated a brief pursuit of the vehicle in the Paramount area shortly before 10 p.m. on Thursday. The tracking of the suspect vehicle quickly transitioned to the California Highway Patrol as the vehicle moved across jurisdictions.
Aerial footage captured by NewsChopper4 documented a bizarre moment during the incident when the driver briefly stopped the vehicle, stepped out, and shouted toward pursuing officers before jumping back behind the wheel and continuing to drive away.
Low-Speed Freeway Navigation and PIT Maneuver
Shortly before 10:30 p.m., the suspect steered the Mercedes onto the eastbound Interstate 10 Freeway. At least four California Highway Patrol cruiser units followed the car as it traveled at a sluggish pace of roughly 15 to 20 miles per hour while weaving across lanes. Law enforcement observations and broadcast footage indicated the severely restricted speed and erratic movement likely stemmed from a flat rear tire.
Approximately five minutes after the pursuit entered the freeway, California Highway Patrol officers executed a Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT) maneuver. The tactical move successfully disabled the vehicle on the eastbound I-10 just west of the Harbor Freeway (State Route 110) interchange, near downtown Los Angeles. Authorities took the driver into custody at the scene without further reported incident.
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