Driver does donuts in front of WGA strikers before fleeing scene, leading CHP on wild chase
BURBANK, Calif. (KABC) -- A woman who led authorities on a chase across the Los Angeles area Monday morning was taken into custody on the 110 Freeway.
The pursuit initially started around 11 a.m. in Burbank, when the driver of a green Kia Soul began doing donuts in front of Writers Guild of America strikers picketing outside of Warner Bros. studios.
Dashcam video was also able to catch the moment as it unfolded.
"It was nuts, the guy was doing donuts and it was like craziest thing I've seen at a strike," said Damian Hattori, a prop master on the picket line when the erratic driving unfolded. "It was like a street takeover starting to happen."
Police initially tried to pull the woman over but she refused and made her way onto the 110 Freeway, eventually leading police to South Los Angeles.
At one point during the chase, the woman briefly stopped under an overpass before continuing to drive. Officers then successfully deployed a spike strip.
With deflating tires, she was eventually pulled over on the freeway near Century Boulevard. But the woman did not immediately emerge from the vehicle, shutting down the freeway and stranding commuters as CHP officers began a standoff with guns drawn.
Officers approached the vehicle and pulled out the woman, who appeared to be in some sort of distress. She could be seen yelling as officers placed into a vehicle in handcuffs.
"And then it was just crazy. They just started doing donuts, and then drove off. It was nuts. Absolutely nuts," said Hattori.
