Mar 16, 2006 7:08 pm US/Pacific
Stolen Car Suspect Surrenders After Standoff
Suspect Huff Also Reportedly Had To Puff On Pot Before Giving Up
LOS ANGELES (CBS) ―
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Stolen SUV Suspect surrenders after chase and standoff in South Los Angeles.
CBS
A sport utility vehicle theft suspect was taken into custody in South Los Angeles Thursday after being involved in at least three collisions during a chase and an approximately 45-minute standoff, police said.
After Jerry Huff was taken into custody, a bomb squad was called to examine a suspicious device inside the vehicle, but it was determined to be harmless, LAPD Officer Jason Lee said.
Huff, 34, of Los Angeles, was arrested for suspicion of grand theft auto, hit and run and felony evading, Lee said. Before exiting the vehicle, reportedly Huff told police he wanted to finish smoking his marijuana cigarette.
The 15-minute chase through South Los Angeles and downtown Los Angeles reached speeds of 80 mph. It began when school police near Fremont High School picked up a Lojack report of a stolen vehicle, Lee said.
The collisions occurred at 18th Street and Central Avenue, 7th Street and Broadway and Washington Boulevard and Central Avenue, Lee said.
Two police officers received cuts and bruises when the stolen vehicle struck a police car, Lee said. Three other people, including a woman who is 8 months pregnant, were injured when the SUV struck their white compact car. None of their injuries were believed to be serious.
At times, the driver took the sport utility vehicle on sidewalks, ran red lights and drove against traffic. At one point, he side-swiped a curb which seemed to damage his right rear wheel.
The chase ended at 47th Street and Central Avenue. Huff refused to get out of the vehicle despite bean bag rounds being fired into its rear and leaving several large holes in the window.
It appeared Huff was trying to get the sport utility vehicle running again, but a SWAT team armored vehicle pulled in front of him and pinned it in place.
Another armored vehicle eventually came to the vehicle's side.
Huff opened the sunroof, possibly to get some air, then finally got out of the sport utility vehicle and surrendered without incident about 4:45 p.m.
The sport utility vehicle was stolen from a parking lot in Beverly Hills in the 9990 block of Santa Monica Boulevard, between Wilshire Boulevard and the city limit with Los Angeles, according to Beverly Hills police.
(© 2006 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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