Man reported in standoff with Beverly Hills police dies

LOS ANGELES — Authorities say the van driver involved in a standoff with Beverly Hills police was found unresponsive inside the vehicle and has died.

Beverly Hills police said Sunday that SWAT officers tried to communicate with the driver of a van blocking traffic at the middle of a major intersection late Saturday but failed.

They entered the van and found an unresponsive man who was treated at the scene and pronounced dead, police said in a statement.

The cause of death was not immediately known, police said.

Police responded late Saturday to phone calls about a van driver creating a traffic hazard in the area of Wilshire Boulevard and Linden Drive but the driver took off. Police followed the driver along Wilshire Boulevard and the van stopped at the intersection with Rodeo Drive, the statement said.

The driver came out briefly but returned to the van and placed foil on the windows, the statement said.

Authorities had asked the public to avoid the scene during the standoff.