Driver of stolen car leads authorities on high-speed chase through southeast LA County

SOUTH EL MONTE, Calif. (KABC) -- The driver of a stolen car was apprehended after leading authorities on a high-speed chase through southeast Los Angeles County on Tuesday morning, authorities said.

Shortly before 7 a.m., the pursuit made its way from the southbound 710 Freeway onto surface streets in the South Gate area.

The unidentified man behind the wheel of a Kia Soul at one point had nearly a dozen patrol vehicles from multiple agencies giving chase.

Authorities on the ground later briefly backed off and went into surveillance mode from overhead as the driver entered a residential neighborhood in Montebello at slow speeds.

Police chase ends in crash in Little Tokyo; sends shoppers running for cover

No law enforcement vehicles were seen behind the suspect as the vehicle made its way into the Rosemead area.

The driver then parked the car in the parking lot of a Walmart, exited the car and approached the store's entrance. Finding it closed, he returned to the vehicle and made his way out of the parking lot despite being confronted by arriving patrol vehicles.

The suspect then drove onto a dead-end street near the 1400 block of Chico Avenue in South El Monte and was boxed in by authorities. He got out of the vehicle, raised his hands in surrender and was taken into custody without incident.

A spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said the car was reported stolen in Pico Rivera. No other details about the theft were immediately available.