A man is in the hospital, and another is in custody after a stolen box truck led police on a high-speed chase through Los Angeles on Friday.
Police said officers responded to the 11:51 a.m. call near Vernon and Denker avenues for reports of a stolen white box truck with a man clinging to the back.
Officers quickly located the vehicle and initiated a pursuit, deploying multiple spike strips to flatten two of the truck’s tires.
The chase lasted about 20 minutes and ended near Normandie and Vernon avenues with the suspect’s arrest.
According to the Los Angeles Fire Department, the victim who had been holding onto the truck was struck by a vehicle four miles from where the chase began at the intersection of West 76th Street and Broadway.
As of 5 p.m. Friday, the man was listed in serious condition. It remains unclear whether he was hit by the stolen truck or another vehicle.
An employee near the scene told KTLA’s Angeli Kakade that this location is no stranger to these incidents. “To me, it’s normal, because it’s a really bad area right here,” said the employee.
Locals familiar with the intersection also expressed little surprise about the accident.
“The police station is right there, so there’s always cops coming out really fast for all kinds of pursuits,” said another employee who witnessed the commotion.
The investigation is ongoing as officials work to confirm more details about the victim and the suspect.
Authorities are still determining if the hospitalized man is the person who owns the truck.