Hour-long chase of stolen Mercedes ends in crash on 14 Freeway

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (KABC) -- Officers chased a suspect in a stolen Mercedes through the streets of West Los Angeles and up several freeways before he slammed into a freeway barrier in Santa Clarita and surrendered.

The chase began Sunday night in the Exposition Park area when officers saw a speeding silver Mercedes on the 110 Freeway, ran the license plate and learned it had been reported stolen.

Officers believed they had spotted a gun in the driver's possession.

They chased the vehicle through West Los Angeles Venice and Santa Monica before the driver headed north on the 405 Freeway. He continued through the San Fernando Valley, onto the 5 Freeway and then onto the 14 Freeway.

The chase lasted more than an hour before the Mercedes slammed into a sand barrier on the 14 Freeway in the Santa Clarita area and spun out on the roadway, as an LAPD cruiser banged into the back of the vehicle.

The suspect quickly emerged from the vehicle with his hands up, complied with officers commands to get on the ground and was taken into custody without further incident. Northbound lanes of the 14 Freeway were closed as police investigated and traffic could be seen backed up for miles before the lanes were reopened.

Police later said a handgun was found in the vehicle's glove compartment, but it belonged to the car's actual owner and the suspect was not otherwise armed.