50-mile police chase ends in CHP standoff

A 50-mile police chase that began in Universal City early Friday morning ended north of Pyramid Lake in a twohour standoff with the alleged driver.

California Highway Patrol officers began following a white Toyota Tacoma about 4:30 a.m. on the northbound lanes of the 101 freeway, CHP Officer Josh Greengard said.

“CHP officers attempted to make an enforcement stop after the vehicle had been driving at 100 mph,” he said.

The driver eluded CHP and began traveling northbound on Interstate 5, heading for the Santa Clarita Valley.

“It continued into our area,” Greengard said, with CHP officers pursuing the truck along the northbound lanes of I-5 near Hasley Canyon Road.

“The vehicle continued at a high rate of speed, moving in and out of lanes in light traffic,” he said.

As the pursued truck approached Smokey Bear Road it ran out of gas, exiting the freeway at Smokey Bear.

“The vehicle stopped under the I-5 freeway,” Greengard said.

A standoff with CHP officers began when the driver “refused to exit the vehicle,” he said, noting that a female passenger got out of the truck once it came to a stop.

At one point during the standoff, CHP officers called in the canine unit to help persuade the driver to get out of the truck, Greengard said.

The police dog was not used in the standoff.

About 7:22 a.m., the driver got out of the truck and was arrested, Greengard said.

The female passenger was not arrested.