After a High-speed Automobile Chase From San Diego to Los Angeles and a Confrontation at Lax, the Driver Was Apprehended

A driver was brought into custody on Thursday afternoon following a high-speed chase across three California counties and an hour-long standoff at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), according to authorities and local media. As of early Thursday, the police had not given the name of the suspect.

The chase reportedly began in San Diego before moving to Orange and Los Angeles Counties, with California Highway Patrol officials pursuing the suspect, according to NBC 4 Los Angeles and FOX 11 LA. Although it wasn’t immediately obvious why the driver was being sought after, FOX 5 KSWB-TV reported that at roughly 11:40 a.m. PT, San Diego police attempted to pull over the car for driving recklessly.

According to NBC 4, the grey Nissan Altima was observed breaking other traffic laws and running red lights. Watch as a dashcam video shows Florida police pursuing a suspected auto thief along fences and backyards. The chase eventually came to an end at Sepulveda and Century Boulevards, close to the airport’s entrance, at 1 p.m. PT, according to NBC 4.

The earliest attempt to halt the driver by officials was near San Diego, 120 miles from LAX. On Friday, July 1, 2022, traffic swells outside the terminals at the Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles. The driver can be seen rushing out of the car in video footage shot by Sky FOX. According to a Los Angeles Fire Department notice, the suspect climbed up on the guardrail and indicated that he intended to jump. On the roadway below, LAFD emergency responders set up an inflatable air rescue cushion.

The stalemate was resolved more than an hour later. The LAFD tweeted shortly after 2:40 p.m. ET that the person was in custody and that things were “de-escalating.” Following several updates that warned travelers of the police activity, LAX confirmed this on Twitter. Although there was heavy and delayed traffic, the airport said that planes were unaffected.

What are people chatting about? For the most recent information on the day, subscribe to our popular newsletter. At 2:49 p.m. PT, LAX posted, “Police activity around the airport has ended, and the impacted lanes will be opening as soon as possible.” For more information, USA TODAY has contacted the California Highway Patrol and the San Diego Police Department.