Teenage Boy in Custody After Ramming Police Car During Chase

A 16-year-old boy was arrested Monday after allegedly ramming a Long Beach police patrol car during a pursuit that began with an investigation into a shots-fired report.

The Long Beach teen, whose name was withheld, was taken into custody around 6:45 a.m. and booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer, auto theft, felony evading, hit-and-run and resisting arrest, said Long Beach police Sgt. Brad Johnson.

No injuries were reported.

Officers went to the area of Ninth Street and Cedar Avenue about 3:45 a.m. on a reports of shots fired and saw a “suspicious vehicle leaving the area,” Johnson said.

“The vehicle failed to yield to officers, and a short pursuit ensued. During the pursuit, the suspect backed into and rammed one of the pursuing police vehicles,” he said. “The suspect vehicle was then involved in a collision near 20th Street and Cedar Avenue, and the suspect fled on foot.”

Officers set up a perimeter, and a SWAT team was sent to the scene, resulting in the teen’s arrest, Johnson said.

--City News Service, photo via Shutterstock