Woman slams into Gardena police car after assaulting firefighter, officials say

GARDENA, Calif. (CNS) -- A woman was arrested after officials say she attacked a Los Angeles County firefighter and then crashed into an undercover police vehicle in Gardena.

Officers responded to the 2600 block of Manhattan Beach Boulevard, between Crenshaw Boulevard and Van Ness Avenue, around 1 p.m. Wednesday regarding a report of a physical dispute involving Los Angeles County Fire Department personnel, according to the Gardena Police Department.

In video obtained by Eyewitness News, you can see the woman hitting a member of the county fire department several times through the window of his truck.

The firefighter then follows the woman across the median to her car, which was still blocking traffic, and told her they were calling 911. The woman then got back into her car, circled the block twice, and returned.

She then slammed into both the fire vehicle and an undercover L.A. police car, ripping one of the truck's tires off.

Investigators later determined the suspect to be 36-year-old Jessica Chavez of Inglewood.

"We were right in front of here, so we could see everything," said Frank Rojas, who heard the commotion and captured it on video.

"I thought when she was going to drive off, she was going to drive off and that was that," he said. "Maybe a police chase or something would ensue after that, but no, I was shocked at the fact she decided to even go back and, like, still hit the car."

Chavez was booked on suspicion of assault on a firefighter/EMT, assault with a deadly weapon and driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

City News Service, Inc. contributed to this report.