High-Speed Chase Ends on Golf Course; Teen Held

A hot pursuit through Valley streets ended on a golf course Tuesday when the driver of a stolen truck refused to stop, even after officers fired at his vehicle, police said.

The pursuit began at 9:30 a.m. at the corner of Nordhoff Street and Sepulveda Boulevard after a police officer called in the license plate of a white 1967 Chevrolet pickup and discovered it was stolen, said Sgt. Silva Atwater of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Van Nuys station. Once backup officers arrived on the scene, the driver of the truck sped off and the pursuit began.

Police followed the truck onto the southbound San Diego Freeway to the Burbank Boulevard offramp near Encino Golf Course. There was traffic on the offramp, so the driver “jumped the curb [of the offramp] and got on the dirt shoulder in an effort to evade officers,” said Officer Jason Lee, an LAPD spokesman.

The driver of the truck then began ramming a metal fence to get onto Burbank Boulevard. At that point, a Van Nuys LAPD officer ordered the driver and passenger to surrender.

The suspects didn’t respond, so the officer fired at the truck’s tires to disable the vehicle. The truck was able to break through the fence and drive half a mile on Burbank Boulevard before turning onto a fire road on Encino Golf Course in the Sepulveda Basin.

Police said the chase ended at the course, and the driver was arrested. There were no injuries.

The 17-year-old male driver was arrested on suspicion of juvenile delinquency and joy riding. He was being held at Sylmar Juvenile Hall. Police did not provide information about the passenger.