Carjacking suspect crashes truck towing coffee trailer at end of chase in LA

NORTH HOLLYWOOD, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A suspect in a stolen pick-up truck led authorities on a wild chase that came to a crashing end in North Hollywood Monday night.

The pursuit started after the white truck with a "Matt's Coffee" trailer attached was allegedly carjacked in Ventura County.

The owner of Matt's Coffee told ABC7 an employee was inside the coffee trailer at the time. Some time after the suspect took off with truck and trailer, that employee jumped out and suffered some road rash injuries, but is expected to be OK.

The vehicle was later spotted in the Los Angeles Police Department Foothill Division.

At one point, the driver lost control of the vehicle after making a hard right onto Tujunga Avenue from Chandler Boulevard. Video shows the truck taking the sharp turn, which caused the trailer that was being towed to roll over on its side and skid onto the sidewalk.

It crashed into a local dance studio that serves over 100 kids a week. The damage to the studio is now being assessed.

"I thank God that there were no children here because we have children from the age of 3 and up," said Eartha Robinson, founder of The Heart Dance Studio.

Officers say the suspect took off running after the collision, but was later arrested after hiding in a porta-potty.

The suspect, identified as Liam Yanez, 27, is facing a slew of charges including carjacking, according to the Ventura County Sheriff's Office. He is being held on $130,000 bail.