AZUSA, CA — A pursuit suspect was arrested Sunday morning after an Azusa police chase ended in a fiery rollover crash, authorities said. Officers later booked the unidentified driver on felony evading and attempting to disarm a police officer after he was medically cleared at a nearby hospital for injuries that have not been described.
Police said no other injuries were reported. The incident began late Saturday night, when officers were called to the area of Cerritos Avenue and Gladstone Street on reports of a drunk driver and later found the vehicle a few blocks away near Foothill Boulevard.
Drunk-driving report led officers to the vehicle near Foothill Boulevard
Azusa police told CBS Los Angeles that officers first responded around 11:55 p.m. Saturday to a complaint about a possible drunk driver. The vehicle was located a few blocks away, near Foothill Boulevard, and officers tried to stop it.
When the driver did not pull over, the situation turned into a pursuit. Police have not identified the suspect, and they have not said how long the original stop attempt lasted before the chase began. What is clear is that the encounter quickly moved from a routine traffic response into a fast-moving police pursuit across the city.
Chase covered nearly eight miles through Azusa and onto several freeways
Officers followed the vehicle for almost eight miles, traveling through Azusa and onto several freeways, police said. The pursuit crossed multiple stretches of roadway before heading toward Azusa Avenue and San Gabriel Canyon Road, where it came to a violent end.
Police did not immediately detail every freeway or street involved, but they said the chase remained within the Azusa area. The length of the pursuit underscores how far the driver traveled before officers were able to bring the incident to a close.
Rollover crash at Azusa Avenue and San Gabriel Canyon Road set car on fire
The chase ended when the vehicle rolled over at Azusa Avenue and San Gabriel Canyon Road. Officers said the crash caused the car to become engulfed in flames, turning the stop into a dangerous scene for everyone nearby.
Even after the crash, police said the suspect refused to get out of the car when ordered. Officers eventually took the driver into custody at the scene. Authorities did not say what, if anything, the suspect was doing inside the vehicle after the rollover before officers made the arrest.
Suspect booked on felony evading and attempting to disarm an officer
After being taken from the scene, the suspect was transported to a nearby hospital and later medically cleared, Azusa police said. He was then booked on felony evading and attempting to disarm a police officer.
Police have not released the suspect’s name or said whether the hospital treatment was related to the crash, the fire, or some other issue. The charges reflect both the flight from officers and what police described as resistance during the arrest.
Investigation continues after no bystanders were hurt in the incident
No other injuries were reported, and police said the incident remains under investigation. That means investigators are still sorting out the sequence of events that started with the drunk-driving call and ended with a burned vehicle and an arrest.
For now, Azusa police have confirmed only the broad outline: a late-night report, a failed traffic stop, an extended pursuit, a rollover crash, and the suspect’s custody. Officials have not said whether additional charges could follow or provided further details about the vehicle fire.
