Armed suspect leads dangerous chase in stolen construction truck dragging sign on 10 Freeway
POMONA, Calif. (KABC) -- An armed suspect stole a roadway-construction truck and led authorities on a dangerous chase over the 10 Freeway Tuesday night.
The truck was hauling a freeway sign in back, sending up sparks as it dragged along the surface of the road in the Ontario and Pomona areas.
The chase finally ended when officers rammed into the vehicle and the suspect jumped out, dodging traffic in freeway lanes until he was taken down by a police K-9.
The chase started when Fontana police started pursuing a suspect in a Jeep that had been reported stolen. The suspect fled into the Ontario area and crashed the Jeep around 8 p.m.
At that point, police say, he carjacked the construction truck at gunpoint.
At least 10 police cruisers eventually joined the chase, following along as the truck drove erratically at slow speeds, dragging the sign in back and continuing to send up sparks. One wheel of the truck was shredded down to the rim.
Authorities shut down first the westbound and then the eastbound side of the 10 as they slowly followed the truck through the Ontario, Montclair, Upland and Pomona areas.
At one point, an armored police bearcat vehicle pulled up alongside the truck, and rammed it on the side, trapping it against the center divider.
The suspect immediately jumped out, hopped the center divider and ran on foot onto the other side of the freeway as he was talking on a cellphone. There was only light traffic as police were in the process of shutting down that side as well.
At one point he appeared to run toward a passing car on the freeway, possibly in an effort to commit another carjacking, but the vehicle was moving too quickly.
A police dog ran after the suspect, catching up to him on the side of the road and latching onto his arm. He struggled initially but officers were able to finally take him into custody.
He was expected to get medical attention for bite injuries before being taken into police custody.
The freeway remained shut down in both directions near Pomona as paramedics checked out the suspect.
Police later recovered a gun that apparently was thrown over a freeway wall by the suspect.
