Cruiser Catches Fire, Suspect Arrested At End Of LAPD Chase

LOS ANGELES, CA — A fiery police pursuit ended in downtown Los Angeles early Thursday after a cruiser was hit by a rental truck officers had been chasing.

Officers from the LAPD's Olympic Division began chasing the suspects, who were in a U-Haul truck and suspected of burglarizing a motor vehicle, about 3:55 a.m., an LAPD officer told City News Service.

The truck was allegedly driven aggressively, head-on, toward officers, causing them to evade the vehicle and the chase was on, with the suspects additionally wanted for allegedly using the vehicle to commit assault with a deadly weapon, the officer said.

When the chase reached the on-ramp from Hoover Street to the Santa Monica (10) Freeway, the truck's driver braked suddenly, causing a collision, according to police.

As the chase continued, the suspect backed into the police cruiser in the area of 16th and Santee, disabling it, before continuing to flee in the truck, police alleged.

Video showed the damaged police SUV emitting smoke from beneath its hood as officers removed a long gun and other items from the cruiser before a raging engine fire broke out.

The chase ended in the area of 23rd and Los Angeles streets, where the man at the wheel of the U-Haul box truck was arrested, but a passenger got away, according to the LAPD.

The suspect sustained minor injuries and was taken to a hospital by Los Angeles Fire Department personnel.

No officers were injured.