Los Angeles

Driver Spins Out, Speeds Away in Reverse During South LA-to-Coast Pursuit

The low-speed pursuit began in Florence and wound through streets to Redondo Beach

A carjacking suspect was arrested Wednesday morning after leading police on a pursuit through South Los Angeles streets before a wild spin-out and backward getaway in the beach community of Redondo Beach. 

The man, wanted in a carjacking in the Florence area, was arrested after an hour-long standoff in Redondo Beach. The driver, surrounded by patrol vehicles, surrendered after refusing to get out of the damaged car. 

The chase began when South Gate police pursued the driver of the gray four-door Scion xD westbound across Century Boulevard toward the 405 Freeway at slower speeds. Authorities suspect the driver was involved in a carjacking around 7:40 a.m. Wednesday morning, which took place at 68th Street near Central Avenue in the Florence neighborhood of South Los Angeles, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Century Station.

The driver continued west, driving under the 405 Freeway and north of LAX before heading south in El Segundo, Manhattan Beach and Redondo Beach.

A man at a crosswalk appeared to throw something at the car as it crossed an intersection, not far from where officers deployed a spike strip that appeared to damage at least one tire. Redondo Beach police attempted several PIT maneuvers, finally spinning the car around at an intersection where the driver narrowly missed an oncoming SUV.

Two patrol vehicles appeared to have the car boxed in, but the driver made a getaway in reverse. He eventually turned the car around and sped off, leaving a bumper and other parts of the damaged car scattered in the street. 

The car finally came to a stop in Redondo Beach after another pit maneuver just before 9:40 a.m. The driver surrendered at about 11:20 a.m.

NBC4's Jonathan Lloyd contributed to this report.

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