The dramatic pursuit began shortly before noon Friday in East Hollywood and made its way onto the 101 Freeway before continuing into an East L.A. neighborhood at speeds approaching 100 mph.
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The white Honda was occupied by only a male driver.
The suspect drove intermittently the wrong way into incoming traffic on surface streets, hitting multiple vehicles and as he weaved between other vehicles.
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He stopped on the shoulder of the eastbound 10 Freeway in Alhambra and hopped a fence, ran through some brush and tried to blend into the campus of Mark Keppel High School.
The school was already on alert from the police activity nearby.
With students watching nearby, a staff member immediately approached the suspect before he was able to reach a door to the school. The staff member grabbed him, wrestled him to the ground and held him until help arrived.
It was not clear if the suspect was armed, but no weapon was visible during the incident.
School officials said they take campus security seriously and hold drills involving simulated emergencies and lockdowns.
"Everyone here takes ownership of the kids," said school Principal John Scanlan. "They want to keep everybody safe. "