2 Arrested After Stolen Car Chase Through Downtown LA

LOS ANGELES, CA — Two people are in custody Sunday following the brief pursuit of a stolen vehicle that ended in downtown Los Angeles just before midnight, police said.

According to a preliminary Los Angeles Police Department investigation, officers from its Central Station noticed a red Ford SUV driving without headlights around Broadway Avenue and Ord Street in Chinatown, around 11:45 p.m. Saturday.

The officers ran the plates and discovered the newer model Escape had been reported stolen, according to Sgt. R. Aguirre.

When police attempted to pull the car over at 2nd Street and Broadway, it sped off into the heart of downtown, she said.

While evading police, the driver pulled an eastbound turn on 3rd Street -- the wrong way on a one-way street, Aguirre said.

The SUV slammed into the sidewalk, damaging the tires, and rendering the vehicle inoperable, she said.

Two male occupants got out of the Ford and ran toward Spring Street, but were quickly caught by Central Station officers, police said.

A tow truck removed the damaged SUV.

—City News Service