Los Angeles Times

Police kill suspect after pursuit leads to fatal wreck

Authoritie­s in Ontario say Orlando Roman fled after a 30-minute standoff involving ex.

- By Karen Garcia

A high-speed chase in Ontario over the weekend ended in a multicar collision and the deaths of two people: a bystander whose car was smashed in the wreck and the suspect, who was shot by police.

Authoritie­s say the incident began after the Ontario Police Department received a 911 call regarding a disturbanc­e on the 400 block of West Maple Street at 10:30 a.m. Sunday.

The caller told dispatch that his sister’s ex-boyfriend was threatenin­g to enter a residence if his sister did not go outside, a police report stated. He also notified dispatch that the ex-boyfriend had a history of domestic violence and threats involving a gun.

Police identified the ex as Orlando Roman, 39, of San Bernardino.

When officers arrived, they found Roman, who was believed to be armed, and began to negotiate with him, but he refused to exit his vehicle, police said.

Told that a warrant had been issued for Roman, officers ordered him to surrender, leading to a standoff that lasted about 30 minutes before he drove off, KABCTV reported.

According to police, Roman led officers on a highspeed chase on surface streets and the 60 Freeway — driving through oncoming traffic — that ended near Grove Avenue and Philadelph­ia Street, where he triggered a three-car pileup.

Roman got out and tried to carjack a vehicle, police said; when that failed, he ran, armed with a handgun, toward Cucamonga Avenue and Philadelph­ia Street, where officers shot him.

He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. A handgun was recovered from the scene, police said.

The shooting is being investigat­ed by the Ontario Police Department and the San Bernardino County district attorney’s office.

Two drivers whose cars were involved in the collision were taken to a hospital, where Amanda Powers, 44, of Ontario was pronounced dead. The other was released with minor injuries.

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