Suspect carjacks BMW, crashes into Beverly Hills building near holiday celebration

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (KABC) -- A suspect carjacked a BMW in Beverly Hills on Thursday but soon lost control and crashed into a building near where a holiday crowd had gathered, officials say.

The suspect carjacked a woman driving a BMW X3 around 7 p.m. in the 400 block of North Bedford Drive, Beverly Hills police say.

A short time later, the carjacker lost control of the SUV and crashed near the corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Camden Drive, an area that was jam-packed with people attending an annual holiday light celebration on Rodeo Drive.

The suspect ran away but was quickly caught and arrested by officers who were assigned to the holiday event.

Emergency crews rushed to the crash scene and brought four people - two men, one woman and a male juvenile - to local hospitals. Updates on their conditions were not immediately available.

The suspect was identified as James Portul, 22, of Pittsburgh, Penn. He was booked for carjacking and hit-and-run with injury.