Wild chase through San Gabriel Valley ends with PIT maneuver, violent arrest

AZUSA, Calif. (KABC) -- A chase of a reckless-driving suspect through the San Gabriel Valley came to a dramatic end as officers used a PIT maneuver to force the car to stop.

Officers quickly surrounded and swarmed the vehicle and smashed the windows out to take the suspect quickly into custody in Azusa.

The chase began around 6:30 p.m. when CHP officers began pursuing a reckless driver that failed to yield on the northbound 605 Freeway.

The Hyundai Elantra fled from officers, at times driving on the shoulder to bypass traffic.

The suspects exited on surface streets in the Covina area and continued fleeing, weaving through traffic and at times even appearing to intentionally swerve when there were no other cars. At one point the chase appeared to end when the suspects pulled over and exited on foot into a building. But one suspect quickly emerged again and got back into the vehicle before officers could catch up.

The chase ended when Azusa officers caught up to the suspect and used a PIT maneuver, smashing into the back of the vehicle and spinning it around.

Five police cruisers quickly surrounded the vehicle before the driver could re-orient himself and continue to flee.

They smashed out the back window and then forcibly removed the driver from the vehicle. He resisted and officers were seen throwing multiple punches to get him to comply and eventually be taken into custody.