A robbery suspect led Los Angeles police officers on a high-speed chase across the 10 Freeway Wednesday night, with the fleeing driver hitting speeds topping 120 miles per hour as officers tracked an object possibly thrown from the vehicle’s window. The pursuit, which stretched through Los Angeles County, remained a developing situation as of late Wednesday.
LAPD officers began chasing the suspect driver, who is wanted for a possible robbery, according to KTLA. The chase played out on the 10 Freeway, with the outlet reporting the driver reached speeds of more than 120 miles per hour. That is nearly double the posted 65 mph limit on Interstate 10 through urban Los Angeles County, a major corridor that carries dense traffic through the heart of the city, according to the California DMV. News helicopter Sky5 was overhead tracking the pursuit as it unfolded, and KTLA said it would continue updating the developing story.
At some point during the chase, an object — possibly a firearm — appeared to be thrown out of the vehicle’s window, per the station’s report. Under California Vehicle Code Section 23110, tossing a dangerous object capable of causing great bodily injury from a moving vehicle can be charged as a felony, not merely a misdemeanor, according to the Shouse Law Group. Discarding a weapon onto an active freeway creates immediate hazards for trailing motorists and officers alike, and it complicates evidence collection once the chase ends.
The Robbery Allegation and Potential Charges
The underlying offense that triggered the pursuit — a possible robbery — carries its own steep penalties. Under California Penal Code Section 211, robbery is defined as taking personal property from another person by force or fear, and it is classified as a violent felony punishable by up to nine years in state prison, according to Justia Law. If the driver is captured and found to have fled with willful or wanton disregard for safety, prosecutors could also pursue a separate felony evading charge under Vehicle Code Section 2800.2, which carries a sentence of 16 months to three years and fines up to $10,000, per the Shouse Law Group…