Suspect apprehended after leading police on chase through San Fernando Valley

The driver of a pickup truck led police on a high-speed chase that crisscrossed the San Fernando Valley late Friday evening before ending with a successful PIT maneuver on a surface street.

The pursuit began about 10:10 p.m. in San Fernando and made its way into Sylmar and then to Mission Hills, Van Nuys and Sherman Oaks. The route included brief excursions onto the 405, 210 and 5 freeways.

It was not immediately clear what prompted San Fernando police to initiate the chase, which reached speeds of up to 80 mph. California Highway Patrol officers later joined the pursuit.

A dog was seen in the passenger seat of the suspect's vehicle, a 1997-2000 Nissan Frontier whose hazard lights were blinking.

Just before midnight, authorities attempted a PIT maneuver but were unsuccessful. About 10 minutes later, a second PIT maneuver caused the pickup truck to spin out on a street in Sylmar.

The driver and his apparently agitated German shepherd exited the vehicle. The dog skittered back and forth as officers swarmed the suspect and took him into custody.

As the man was handcuffed and placed in a police vehicle near the intersection of Foothill Boulevard and Tyler Street, his German shepherd ran back into the truck's cab.

The dog was eventually reunited with the suspect's sister and is doing well, San Fernando police said.

The chase suspect, described as a man in his 20s, was booked on felony evading charges and several other outstanding warrants, police said.