Freeway Chase Ends With Crash, Arrest
A Rowland Heights man was arrested Monday morning after a high-speed chase with police officers that ended when he overturned his pickup on the Hollywood Freeway.
Metropolitan Transportation Authority officers say they saw Arturo Gonzalez, 31, illegally driving his truck in the bus lane and running traffic lights on Spring Street at 3:17 a.m. MTA police officers say they tried to flag down Gonzalez as he got on the northbound Hollywood Freeway near Cesar Chavez Avenue and Vignes Street, but he ignored them.
Gonzalez fled from two MTA police cars at speeds exceeding 80 mph, said MTA spokesman Gary Wosk. Wosk said police saw Gonzalez and his passenger throwing bags out of the car window as they fled.
When Gonzalez tried to make the transition from the Hollywood to the Ventura Freeway, his truck struck a guardrail and flipped onto its hood, police said. Wreckage was strewn over four lanes of the Hollywood Freeway blocking traffic for several hours.
Gonzalez, who suffered broken ribs and a collapsed lung, was taken to Los Angeles County USC Medical Center where he was booked on charges of felony evasion of a peace officer and felony drunk driving.
The passenger was unharmed and was not arrested, police said.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
