Suspect in stolen Ford Raptor evades authorities after high-speed chase through Los Angeles County

A suspect driving a stolen pickup truck reached speeds of 115 mph and nearly hit a Metro train before evading Los Angeles police and the CHP on Wednesday.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 5, 2026, 4:46 AM EST

Source: The information in this article was sourced from CBS News Los Angeles

High-Speed Flight Through the San Gabriel Valley

The pursuit began in the San Fernando Valley on Wednesday night when Los Angeles Police Department officers attempted to stop a lifted Ford Raptor pickup truck reported as stolen. The driver immediately fled, initiating a high speed chase that was eventually handed over to the California Highway Patrol as the vehicle transitioned onto major freeways. Aerial footage from SkyCal captured the suspect swerving aggressively through traffic on the southbound 605 Freeway, reaching speeds that clocked in at 115 mph. The suspect's erratic behavior created multiple near miss scenarios, including a close call with a parked truck in a Whittier construction zone after exiting the freeway via the Slauson Avenue offramp.

Near Miss with Metro Gold Line and Blackout Driving

As the chase moved onto the surface streets of the San Gabriel Valley, the suspect utilized increasingly desperate tactics to lose pursuing officers. The driver turned off the vehicle's headlights while continuing to speed through intersections and red lights in a "blackout" mode designed to hinder visual tracking. In one of the most harrowing moments of the night, the suspect narrowly avoided a collision with a Metro Gold Line train near Duarte Road and Highland Avenue in the Monrovia area. After stopping just feet from the moving train, the driver continued to flee parallel to the railway tracks before heading toward the San Gabriel Mountains.

Termination of the Pursuit and Suspect Escape

The dynamics of the chase shifted around 11:15 p.m. when the suspect entered the Pasadena area. At this stage, law enforcement made the strategic decision to pull back all ground units due to the extreme risk posed to the public. The vehicle was tracked solely by police helicopters as it moved through the Mid Central neighborhood of Pasadena. However, the pursuit ultimately reached a stalemate when thick cloud cover moved into the region, forcing news and police helicopters to abandon their aerial surveillance. Law enforcement confirmed shortly thereafter that they had lost sight of the vehicle and were forced to give up the chase due to safety concerns.