Officer injured in police chase that ends in bizarre standoff in Van Nuys

VAN NUYS, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A Los Angeles Police Department officer was struck and injured by a suspect's car early Thursday morning during a chase that ended with a bizarre standoff in Van Nuys, authorities said.

About 2:30 a.m., officers ran the license plate of a vehicle that turned out to have been stolen, according to the LAPD. When they attempted to conduct a traffic stop, the driver sped away and an erratic pursuit ensued.

"At one point during the pursuit, the female driver struck one of our police vehicles and injured one of our officers," who was pinned by the suspect's sedan, said Sgt. Matthew Marsh, an LAPD spokesman. The officer was treated at a hospital and released.

After the chase ended near the intersection of Vanowen Street and Haskell Avenue, the driver was seen casually smoking a cigarette and leaning out of car's sunroof as at least six police officers approached with guns drawn.

She was physically pulled from the vehicle and taken into custody. Her name was not immediately released.