Whittier

Family Confronts Pursuit Driver Who Runs Into Home and Steals Their Truck

A family in Whittier confronts a driver who led police on a dangerous pursuit after he ran into their home and stole the keys to their truck before driving off.

NBC Universal, Inc.

A family confronts a driver involved in a dangerous police pursuit as he runs in their home and steals their truck.

A driver which led multiple police units on a pursuit which began in Anaheim ran out of a vehicle he had carjacked in Whittier and ran onto their property.

Andres Benitez was inside the home with his mother when the driver ran inside and grabbed the keys to his truck.

"I was inside the house, I just came back from work after a long day," Benitez. "I was just talking to my mom and we were having a normal conversation when I saw the back door open and it's not supposed to open."

Benitez already knew there was police activity in the area since his brother has called him and let him know.

"When I saw it [door] open I already knew it was that guy because this isn't the first times this happens," Benitez said. "My first reaction was that my mother was in the house and I have to defend her."

Benitez looked around his house quickly to find something to help defend himself and his mother with. He grabbed the first kitchen knife he could see.

"I tell him 'bro you have to get out of the house because if not I'm going to have to stab you right now,'" Benitez said. "he put his hands up and kept begging me."

The man begged for Benitez to let him go. Benitez said that he just wanted the man to get out of his house.

The driver then grabbed the keys to Benitez's truck off of the kitchen table and ran outside.

Benitez mother kept insisting that her son just let the man go so no one would get hurt.

NBC4 learned that Benitez had been saving up to purchase his truck for sometime.

"When I saw him grab the keys I though that there's no way I'm just going to let him get out," Benitez said. "When I saw him startup the truck my heart just broke.

Benitez mother was injured during the incident after trying to stop her son from engaging with the man.

Pursuit ended after the driver crashed with several vehicles and was rammed by police units from behind in Hacienda Heights.

The driver then accelerated backward into an officer vehicle, and shots were fired.

It wasn't clear if he was hit, but bullet holes were seen in the window.

The driver was finally taken into custody and pulled from the disabled, and mangled, truck.

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