Suspect arrested after big rig chase ends in fiery wreck

Stolen big rig chase ends in fiery wreck

A suspect is in custody after allegedly stealing a big rig from a gas station in Bakersfield and leading police on a chase across Southern California.

LOS ANGELES COUNTY, Calif. - A suspect was arrested after they allegedly stole a big rig and led police on a chase through multiple Southern California counties Wednesday night.

It all started in Bakersfield, according to officials, after a truck driver was carjacked at a gas station. The California Highway Patrol picked up the chase around 11 p.m. on the 5 Freeway in the Newhall area of Santa Clarita.

The driver reached speeds upwards of 70 mph at times, before transferring over onto the eastbound 134 Freeway. After continuing along the 134, the driver made their way onto the eastbound 210 Freeway into the Pasadena area.

The chase then moved to San Bernardino County, and it all came to an end in Ontario, shortly after CHP officers successfully used spike strips on the truck. After the front two tires ruptured and the front bumper ripped off, the chase continued on the truck's rims. The driver briefly slowed to speeds in the teens, before speeding back up.

After several minutes, though, the sparks became too much, and the cab of the truck caught fire. The driver pulled over to the side of the freeway and ran out of the truck. The suspect then ran up an embankment and jumped a fence, heading into a residential neighborhood, where CHP officers eventually caught up with them and made an arrest.