ABC7 video shows a stolen white Mercedes-Benz leading LAPD on a high-speed chase across the 405 and onto the 110 Freeway on July 28. Dirt bike riders performed wheelies on an entrance ramp, nearly colliding with the escaping SUV as it merged onto the freeway. The pursuit ended near Hill Street and Eighth Street when the vehicle entered a parking garage; several occupants were arrested while at least one person escaped. Authorities have not released the names of those detained.
Stolen Mercedes SUV Flees LAPD, Faces Wheelie-Threatening Dirt Bikers on 110 Freeway Ramp
Image Source: ABC7
A white Mercedes-Benz SUV stolen earlier in Laguna Beach sparked a high-speed police pursuit across Los Angeles on Tuesday, July 28. Video released by ABC7 captured a tense moment when dirt bike riders performing wheelies blocked the SUV as it attempted to merge onto the 110 Freeway.
Authorities say the driver—who has not been publicly identified—was armed with a handgun when the vehicle was taken. Los Angeles Police Department units began following the SUV as it raced through the city, at times using shoulders and running red lights while weaving through traffic.
Timeline of the Pursuit
By roughly 6:00 p.m., the SUV was traveling southbound on the 405 Freeway, using the right shoulder to pass other cars as LAPD cruisers followed cautiously toward Del Rey. Around 6:15 p.m., the chase moved eastward along Slauson Avenue; police say the driver ran red lights, cut through traffic and briefly drove the wrong way.
At about 6:20 p.m., the SUV entered the 110 Freeway northbound. As the vehicle climbed an entrance ramp beneath an overpass, several dirt bike riders were filmed performing wheelies in the lane. Two riders came dangerously close to the SUV: a red-and-white bike narrowly avoided contact, and a green-and-white rider appeared to ride toward the SUV while holding a wheelie—seemingly taunting or attempting to slow the fleeing vehicle—before dropping the stunt and letting the SUV pass as police sirens grew louder.
The pursuit continued until roughly 6:30 p.m., when the SUV exited into a parking structure near Hill Street and Eighth Street. Officers established a perimeter and searched the garage. Multiple occupants who had been inside the vehicle were taken into custody; the LAPD reported that at least one person escaped the structure before being detained. Authorities have not released the names of those arrested.
Note: Video of the chase was shared publicly by ABC7 and circulated widely online, drawing attention to both the dangerous driving by the suspected car thief and the risky behavior of the dirt bike riders.
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