Santa Monica Robbery Suspects Push Baby In Stroller, Crash Vehicle

SANTA MONICA, CA — Two men were arrested this week after attacking a woman and pushing her stroller with her 4-month-old inside of it, driving off with her purse and then crashing during a police pursuit in Santa Monica, authorities said. The infant was not injured.

The robbery happened about 2:30 p.m. Monday near 3rd and Strand streets in the Ocean Park neighborhood, according to Lt. Rudy Flores of the Santa Monica Police Department. The suspect took the victim's purse by force and got inside a nearby Ford Explorer and fled.

The caller told the dispatcher where the vehicle was going, Flores said. Officers found the vehicle and tried to stop the suspects, who fled from police in a pursuit and then crashed into an unoccupied parked car in the 2300 block of 14th Street.

The driver, Roderick Thompson, 35, of Los Angeles, exited the vehicle and was immediately taken into custody, Flores said. Thompson was arrested on suspicion of robbery, delaying arrest, and reckless driving and evading.

The passenger, Lavonte Montgomery, 32, of Los Angeles, ran away from the vehicle and hid in a backyard of a home in the 1300 block of Pine Street, Flores said.

Officers blocked off the area to search and he was taken into custody without incident, Flores said. Montgomery was arrested on suspicion of robbery, delaying arrest, reckless driving/evading, child cruelty and parole violation.

Anyone with any additional information is urged to contact SMPD Detective Nicole Murphy at Nicole.murphy@santamonica.gov or 310-458-8941 or the watch commander at 310-458-8426.