Suspect Killed After 100-Mile Chase

A burglary suspect with a history of grand theft arrests was shot to death by Inglewood police on the Santa Monica Freeway early Wednesday after a 100-mile chase through three counties at speeds of up to 100 m.p.h.

Traffic on the freeway was blocked for almost four hours by the police investigation at the scene of the shooting, near the La Brea Avenue underpass.

Officers said that after finally stopping Javier Salvador Arreola, 23, by shooting out the tires of his van, they opened fire on him when he appeared to be rummaging for a weapon. The officers discovered about 1 1/2 ounces of cocaine in the van after the predawn shooting, but no weapon, Inglewood Police Sgt. Harold Moret said.

‘Van Was Circling Block’

“The whole thing started when a security officer at a construction site at Tamarack (Avenue) and Nutwood (Street) became alarmed because a white van was circling the block with no apparent business,” Moret said. “The guard also noticed that part of the security fence had been pulled back. He called us.”

That was at 12:07 a.m.

Because Inglewood officers were busy, Moret said, they did not arrive at the scene for 22 minutes. But when they got there, the van was still circling, he said.

“The officers attempt to pull the guy over, and he splits,” Moret said. “East on Manchester (Boulevard), south on the Harbor (Freeway), then a wild pursuit out the 91 (Artesia) Freeway through Orange County and into Riverside County.”

Route Ahead Cleared

By then, five Inglewood police cars were involved in the chase, along with helicopters from the Los Angeles and Orange County sheriff’s departments and the Los Angeles Police Department. California Highway Patrol units cleared the projected route ahead of the chase to lessen the chance of an accident.

“It wasn’t the easiest thing keeping up with this guy,” Moret said. “Speeds of up to 100 m.p.h. . . . It’s a bit much.”

Just short of Highway 71 in Riverside County, Arreola reversed his route, doubling back on the Artesia Freeway, Moret said. He headed west to the end of the freeway, continued west on Artesia Boulevard, took the San Diego Freeway north to the Santa Monica Freeway and then sped east on the Santa Monica.

“The decision was then made to take the tires out and end the pursuit,” Moret said. “The officers managed to get alongside the van and take out the rear tires with shotguns.

“But he still wasn’t ready to give up,” the sergeant continued. “He slows down, then he speeds up. That’s not easy with your tires shot out. Finally, he stops near La Brea in the center of the eastbound lanes.”

Approached Van

Four of the officers got out of the patrol cars and approached the van, pistols and shotguns at the ready, Moret said.

“The guy begins to go under the seat, searching frantically around,” Moret said. “They believe he’s coming out with a weapon and they open fire. They kill him. It’s 2:16 a.m.”

The CHP said all eastbound lanes of the Santa Monica Freeway were closed at La Cienega Boulevard right after the shooting so police could collect evidence at the scene. The lanes were not reopened until about 7 a.m., according to Officer Tad Yamashita of the CHP’s West Los Angeles office.

“Most of the people took alternate routes,” Yamashita said. “It wasn’t as bad as it might have been.”

Moret said Arreola, a Lennox resident who worked at a bakery, had a record of “three or four” arrests on suspicion of grand theft. The disposition of those arrests was not immediately determined.