CHP officer sneaks up on pursuit suspect, wrestles him to the ground on the edge of a freeway overpass
A man who led the California Highway Patrol on a pursuit through the San Gabriel Valley on Monday morning was captured on the edge of a freeway overpass by an officer who sneaked up from behind and wrestled the man to the ground.
The man kept CHP officers at bay for about 15 minutes after he exited the northbound 215 near Highland Avenue, stopped his car, then reached into the backseat and pulled out a long, thin black object that officers believed to be a weapon.
With officers shouting orders and pointing their guns at him, the man ignored commands and strolled across several lanes of traffic until he reached a freeway overpass.
With the object in his hand, he leaned over the side as if he was considering jumping, then crossed to the other side, which had a concrete embankment lining the freeway below.
As he moved closer to the edge, CHP officers closed in. A K9 was ready to pounce but CHP officers kept it leashed because the man was carrying the object, authorities told KTLA.
The man eventually moved to the overpass side and hung his legs over the side as if to drop down. That’s when a burly officer came up from behind and wrestled him down in a bear hug. The man was quickly taken into custody.
Riverside County sheriff’s deputies had tried to pull the man over about 8 a.m. because the vehicle he was in was reported stolen, said CHP officer Devon Boatman. The pursuit reached the 60, 605, 10 and 215 freeways.
For breaking California news, follow @JosephSerna on Twitter.
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