Traffic Chase Ends at Marijuana ‘Jungle’

A speeding Porsche led Los Angeles police to a Woodland Hills house Wednesday where officers discovered a jungle of marijuana plants in a room that had been converted into a greenhouse.

The unexpected drug bust landed the Porsche driver, who lives in the house, in jail, police said. Authorities are also investigating whether the hillside home near the Woodland Hills Country Club could be forfeited to authorities because it allegedly was used for the cultivation of drugs.

Police said Jose Nattolo, 20, was arrested on suspicion of cultivating marijuana, a felony, at the home in the 21500 block of Yucatan Avenue. Nattolo was later released from the Van Nuys jail on $1,000 bail.

The arrest came an hour after a police helicopter spotted the Porsche speeding west on Ventura Boulevard at about 100 m.p.h., police said. The helicopter followed the Porsche and patrol cars joined the chase when the car left the freeway and turned south on Canoga Avenue.

Officers followed the Porsche to the home on Yucatan Avenue, where its driver jumped out and ran along the side of the property.

“He was real bright and led them right to his house,” Lt. Jim Watters said.

Officers said they chased the suspect on foot and found an open window in the rear of the house. The officers said they went inside and found a room equipped with studio lights, potting equipment and as many as 35 marijuana plants.

Watters called it “a jungle of cannabis” and said police also found scales and plastic bags they believe were used for packaging marijuana.

The man who had run from the Porsche was not in the house, but police said they later found him hiding in bushes near a house next door. Police identified him as Nattolo.