Crime & Safety
Parolee Being Pursued by Police Crashes Near Westfield Culver City Mall
Gardena officers chase the man wanted on suspicion of possession of an illegal weapon into Culver City this morning.
Gardena police chased an unidentified parolee wanted on suspicion of possession of an illegal weapon to Slauson and Hannum avenues today, where the man’s vehicle and a patrol car collided. He was taken into custody. UPDATE 8:53 p.m.: The suspect's identity has been released as Lorenzo Varella.
According to Gardena Police Department Lt. Steve Prendergast, a deputy officer tried to detain the suspect in Compton at 9:30 a.m., but the man attempted to run him over. Gardena officers saw a vehicle matching the description of the suspect's and began chasing it. The officers pursued the vehicle through Gardena, Hawthorne and Inglewood until the chase ended in Fox Hills near the Westfield Culver City mall after the suspect exited the 405 freeway at Slauson.
The suspect was injured but the extent is not known at this time. No officers were injured. Update: 8:53 p.m.: One officer was injured in the collision. He and the suspect were both transported to the hospital.
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City News Service contributed to this report.
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