Stolen box truck suspect slams into truck in wild freeway crash during chase in Malibu area
The chase lasted over an hour and went through Camarillo and Newbury Park before coming to an end in Ventura.
MALIBU, Calif. (KABC) -- A suspect in a stolen box truck was arrested Wednesday following a dangerous chase in the Malibu area that involved a wild freeway crash.
It all started in the Culver City area made its way Pacific Palisades area along Pacific Coast Highway where police began tracking the driver. At one point, LAPD patrol units backed off of the chase after the pursuit became too dangerous.
AIR7 HD was above the highway and captured the moment when the suspect briefly weaved through incoming traffic.
Moments later, the suspect became erratic and his driving started becoming dangerous.
At one point, the suspect was in the Oxnard area near S Rice Avenue and E 5th Street when he came inches away from rear-ending a pickup truck.
The suspect then weaved around them and continued. This happened just as rain had fallen in the area and the roads were visibly slick.
The driver continued and made its way onto the southbound lanes of the 101 Freeway near Newbury Park where the suspect hit the corner of another box truck, leaving it with a dangling front bumper.
The suspect continued driving and near the Fillmore exit, the suspect in the stolen box truck rear-ended the driver of the second box truck.
The driver of that second box truck - which belongs to a company called Mr. Tire based in San Bernardino - ultimately pulled over on Highway 23 at Janss Road. It's unclear if that driver was injured.
Wild arrest caught on video
The California Highway Patrol was advised that the suspect was in CHP Moorpark's jurisdiction just after 12:30 p.m. Officers located the truck about 30 minutes later on the 101 Freeway, just south of Vineyard Avenue.
"Our officers deployed a spike strip and successfully deflated the left front tire," said CHP in a press release. "Our officers initiated an enforcement stop on the box truck and the vehicle failed to yield to our officer's lights and sirens."
CHP said the suspect tried to flee by driving over a curb. He ended up getting stuck in a dirt and vegetation shoulder in the city of Ventura on Ventura Boulevard at North Bank Drive.
"Officers gave the driver verbal commands to exit the vehicle, and the driver refused to comply," the press release said. "Our Officers deployed Kinetic Energy Munition and the driver agreed to exit the vehicle."
However, CHP said the suspect tried to take off running.
Video obtained by Eyewitness News shows officers chasing after him. He was arrested and taken into custody Wednesday afternoon.
"Our officers requested an ambulance respond to the scene and transport the driver to Ventura County Medical Center for precautionary measures," said CHP.
The suspect was not immediately identified. CHP is asking anyone who may have witnessed the chase or has footage of the incident to call the CHP Ventura Area at 805-662-2640.
