Suspect steals cop car outside Pasadena In-N-Out Burger, leads police on chase

PASADENA, Calif. (KABC) -- A 52-year-old man was in jail Tuesday morning after police say he stole one of their cruisers outside an In-N-Out in Pasadena.

Pasadena police responded to the business in the 2100 block of E. Foothill Boulevard shortly before 10 p.m. on reports of a man blocking a driveway and threatening to shoot people.

When officers confronted the suspect, identified as Joel Soto of Shafter, he managed to jump into a police cruiser and take off, Pasadena PD said in a press release.

An 8-mile chase ended when another cruiser hit the stolen police car near Lake Avenue and Claremont Street, authorities said.

Soto climbed out through the driver window and got on top of the car. That is when police said they took the man down using non-lethal force.

Soto was struck by a Taser and transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. No other injuries were reported, police said.

Soto was facing charges of assault with a deadly weapon, criminal threats, grand theft auto, felony vandalism and felony evading.

Pasadena PD said a follow-up investigation revealed Soto threatened and assaulted about three employees the same night before police arrived and arrested him.