Deputies open fire after suspect slams into light pole at end of chase in Pico-Union

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies shot and wounded a suspect after he slammed a stolen vehicle into a light pole and then tried to reverse into them at the end of a chaotic chase Wednesday in Pico-Union.

The unidentified suspect was pulled from the carjacked sedan and handcuffed while lying on the sidewalk. He was transported to a hospital in critical condition.

The incident started around 2:20 p.m. when deputies spotted a vehicle that had been carjacked that morning in East Los Angeles, investigators said in an evening briefing.

They tried to pull the vehicle over. It stopped but then the driver hit reverse, slamming into the sheriff's patrol vehicle, according to Lt. Patricia Thomas, with the LASD Homicide Bureau. That was considered an assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer, Thomas said.

The pursuit made its way northbound on the 710 Freeway in the East Los Angeles area. The driver then transitioned onto the westbound 10 Freeway in light traffic.

After entering the 101 Freeway, the suspect exited at Alameda Street where he allegedly repeated the behavior again, stopping and reversing into multiple patrol vehicles.

The chase continued into the Pico-Union area, where he weaved between cars in traffic and then drove up onto a sidewalk near Vermont and Venice and crashed into a light pole, then was quickly wedged in by a deputy SUV on his back bumper.

He apparently kept hitting the gas in reverse, as the car's wheels were spinning in place, sending up smoke from the tires.

At one point he appeared to put one hand out the window and was talking to the deputies, but with the wheels still sending up smoke, they opened fire multiple times.

"The suspect appeared to be struck in traffic, where he drove onto the sidewalk, and struck a light pole and reversed into a patrol vehicle once again, resulting in a deputy-involved shooting," Thomas said.

Footage from AIR7 appeared to show at least two deputies discharge their weapons at least 11 times.

At least five bullet holes could be seen in the front windshield after penetrating through the rear window and the interior. It was unclear how many rounds struck the suspect.

Four deputies were on scene at the end of the chase.

The driver was taken to a local hospital. At the evening briefing, he was described as being in critical condition.

No deputies were reported injured in the confrontation.

The LASD's Homicide Bureau and the California Department of Justice are investigating the incident.