DIAMOND BAR (CNS) - A hit-and-run suspect who led deputies on a dangerous high-speed pursuit from near the Walnut-Diamond Bar Sheriff's Station into the Inland Empire and back to Diamond Bar, then engaged in a nearly three-hour standoff with deputies after her car became disabled, was in custody this morning after a SWAT team used tear gas to get her to free a child and give up.
The ordeal began with a hit-and-run crash involving a civilian vehicle near the Walnut-Diamond Bar Sheriff's Station at 21695 Valley Blvd. in Walnut, according to Deputy Trina Schrader of the Sheriff's Information Bureau. News accounts indicated that happened at about 3:30 p.m. Tuesday.
A sergeant was involved in a crash while trying to take command of the pursuit, Schrader said. The sergeant was taken to a hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.
The suspect led deputies through Ontario, Chino Hills and Chino before turning back to Diamond Bar and was shown on news video using her car to push other vehicles out of the way, driving between stopped vehicles and on the wrong side of busy streets. While speeding on El Prado Road in Chino, the suspect was seen narrowly missing head-on collisions with at least three vehicles while driving on the wrong side of the street.
The car became disabled on Diamond Bar Boulevard between Palomino Drive and the Pomona (60) Freeway after rear-ending another vehicle and deputies surrounded the car. They fired at least a dozen bean bag-type rounds into the car to try to break the tinted windows so they could see inside. Then they waited for the SWAT team.
The sheriff's SWAT team arrived with crisis negotiators and armored vehicles. At about 7 p.m., with armored vehicles surrounding three sides of the car, tear gas was fired into the vehicle. A child ran out and was scooped up by a SWAT deputy, and other SWAT team members removed the woman from the car.
“Thankfully @SEBLASD ended this tense situation with a peaceful resolution,'' Sheriff Alex Villanueva tweeted Tuesday night. “Our Deputies did not know there was a child in the car. The child is now safe, and the suspect is in custody. Bringing this barricade situation to an end and restoring order to our community.''
Photo: Getty Images
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