CHP chase ends when suspect drives into water at Marina del Rey beach; driver in custody

MARINA DEL REY, Calif. (KABC) -- A woman was arrested Saturday night after she led California Highway Patrol officers on a car chase and then drove into the water at a beach in Marina del Rey, authorities said.

The pursuit of the silver BMW began shortly before 11:30 p.m. on the 10 Freeway, near Temple City, a CHP spokesperson said. The driver was wanted for alleged speeding.

Surveillance video shows the woman driving onto the sand and crashing into the waves before she abandoned the SUV and began swimming.

"I was just hanging out with some friends at this bar, when all of a sudden I see this car just fly down into the water," witness Angel Juarez said. "I saw a bunch of CHP officers chasing it. ... I ran over there with some of my friends and we looked. The lady was swimming into the ocean."

She was rescued from the water and taken into custody shortly afterward, then transported to a hospital with unknown injuries, the spokesperson said.

"It was pretty intense," Juarez said. "The Coast Guard came, all the police were here. Everyone was hiked up on the pier. That was probably one of the craziest things I've ever seen."

At least two dogs were also rescued from the water.

The CHP believes one dog hopped out of the car after the crash. Both were taken to the West L.A. Animal Shelter. It's unclear if the dogs belong to the driver, who has yet to be identified.

The BMW had New Mexico license plates. Authorities are trying to determine if the car was stolen.