Police chase ends in fiery crash in Inglewood; suspected car thief arrested
A short-lived police chase that started in South Los Angeles on Wednesday evening ended in a fiery and the arrest of a suspected car thief.
The pursuit started at 6 p.m. in the area of Florence and Van Ness avenues, when LAPD officers pulled over an adult male driving a pickup. The officers ran the license plate and discovered the vehicle was stolen.
When they attempted to apprehend the driver, he fled the scene.
The chase ended in the city of Inglewood when the car came to a stop at the intersection of Manchester and Prairie avenues. As the vehicle shuddered to a stop, it caught fire and the driver fled — only to have police immediately catch and arrest him. Firefighters arrived on the scene and quickly put out the blaze.
Police speculate the driver — whose name has not been released — may have hit another vehicle during the pursuit, leading to damage to the car that resulted in the vehicle coming to a stop and catching fire.
The condition of the driver, who escaped the fire after the car stopped, was unknown. No other injuries were reported.
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