Boy Terrorizes High School in Car Rampage

A 16-year-old motorist terrorized the Hawthorne High School campus and nearby areas Tuesday morning and later was caught in a bullet-punctuated chase, police said.

The youth was driving a 1975 Volkswagen Rabbit out of the school parking lot when he was confronted by security guard Fermin Galicia, who reached inside to try to grab the keys. The youth reportedly bit Galicia, who was dragged about 30 feet as the car accelerated in reverse, Hawthorne Police Lt. Herb Mundon said.

The youth, whose name was withheld, then tried to run down Galicia and drove through the campus at high speed, scattering about 500 students, Mundon said.

Police later spotted the youth at the Hawthorne Mall on Hawthorne Boulevard, where the boy’s mother was either working or shopping, Mundon said. The boy ran to a 1975 Chevrolet Impala, which belonged to his parents, and sped toward Officer John Austin, who was standing near his patrol car.

“He missed Austin by 2 to 3 inches” and sped away, Mundon said.

At Rosecrans Avenue and Aviation Boulevard, the car collided with a car driven by Celina Hernandez of Lawndale, who suffered minor injuries, Mundon said.

The lieutenant said the youth put the car in reverse and drove toward pursuing officers, causing them to scatter. The officers fired about a dozen shots, striking the car in the window and trunk.

The teen-ager was arrested at Inglewood and Compton avenues. He was held without bail, pending charges. Mundon said he did not know why the youth went on the rampage.