Police Chase Through North Hollywood Area Ends with Crash

A man in a work van led police on a chase Monday from the Whiteman Airport in Pacoima, through North Hollywood and into Burbank, where he slammed into the rear of a sedan before rolling to a stop and surrendering to pursuing officers.

The chase began about 4:10 p.m. near the airport when Los Angeles police spotted the van weaving, and being driven erratically, according to Officer Cleon Joseph of the department's Media Relations Section.

The van—which had the company name American Solar Direct—was driven at relatively normal speeds during the pursuit as it continued along city streets.

The driver, however, apparently ran over a police spike strip that flattened the front passenger tire. The tire peeled off from the vehicle, but the suspect continued driving on the rim, with sparks occasionally shooting from the wheel.

Police said the driver ran a red light, took a side mirror off another car and eventually smashed into the back of a car on Buena Vista Street near Verdugo Road in Burbank. The van rolled to a stop, and the driver got out of the vehicle a a short time later and surrendered.