Police Pursuit Ends at Station

A Hesperia man trying to evade police officers during a 16-minute chase Saturday made his capture a lot easier when he accidentally drove his car into the parking lot of the Van Nuys police station, authorities said Sunday.

Jack Darrel Smith, 36, who was suspected of trying to buy illicit drugs, was arrested after he abandoned his car on the ramp leading to the police station’s second-story parking lot, said Sgt. Robert Davis of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Devonshire Division.

Davis said Smith, who was booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon for allegedly almost hitting a police officer with his car, had no idea where he was.

“He really did not know he was driving into a police station,” Davis said. “He’s not from the area and he didn’t know until he reached the top of the ramp and saw a whole parking lot of police cars.”

Police said Smith had been pulled over at the intersection of Columbus Avenue and Rayen Street in North Hills at about 4:45 p.m. Saturday as part of a narcotics investigation. As officers approached Smith’s car on foot he sped away, nearly hitting one of the officers and three pedestrians. No one was injured.

Police said that after Smith abandoned his car he ran to a nearby railing and climbed over the side. He hung over the ledge and threatened to jump if police came too close but officers convinced him to surrender, they said.

On Sunday, Smith was being held on $75,000 bail.

“It’s comical but it’s not the first time this has occurred,” Davis said.