Police chase: Suspect seen inhaling gas smoked out of vehicle after 5-hour standoff in Compton

COMPTON, Calif. - A reckless DUI suspect, who was seen huffing a balloon while leading officers on a pursuit through a Compton neighborhood Thursday, was taken into custody shortly before 5:30 p.m. after a standoff that lasted roughly five hours.

The Los Angeles County sheriff's department's crisis negotiation team and the mental evaluation team were on the scene attempting to communicate with the driver, who had been refusing to get out of his vehicle.

He was eventually taken into custody after the sheriff's department used tear gas to force him out of the vehicle.

Police chase: Authorities smoke out driver after nearly 5 hour pursuit, standoff

DUI Suspect who was barricaded in his car for 5 hours after inhaling gas during a pursuit...is now in custody. L.A. County Sheriff's deputies used tear gas to force him out of the vehicle.

During the standoff, the suspect appeared to be inhaling nitrous straight from a tank and vaping an unknown substance in the driver's seat.

Police chase suspect inhales nitrate during standoff with deputies

The pursuit suspect was seen inhaling nitrate from a canister amid a standoff with deputies in Compton.

Officials had been deploying pepper balls in the vicinity of the truck, breaking a portion of the back window, in an attempt to get the driver out of the white pickup truck.

Police chase suspect appears to be inhaling helium

LA County Sheriff's deputies began to pursue the driver because of reckless driving and suspected DUI.

Earlier, the driver crossed a center divider and struck at least one patrol car. The driver was somehow able to evade at least three PIT maneuvers.

Police chase suspect strikes deputy cruiser

Authorities were in pursuit of a suspected DUI driver in the Compton area Thursday.

The pursuit came to a stop around 1 p.m. near Poplar Street and Wilmington Avenue once the driver hit a dead-end a few feet from the wash and got boxed in by authorities.

Police chase: Deputies try pit-maneuver as pursuit continues

The suspected DUI driver appeared to be huffing before deputies attempted a pit-maneuver in an attempt to bring the pursuit to a safe ending.

After a few minutes, the man tried to back into the law enforcement vehicles, but could not get away, spinning the tires and sending up a plume of smoke into the air. The deputies tossed a gas container into the cab of that pickup, but the standoff continued.

The suspect's aunt told FOX 11 she was in disbelief and tried to talk to her nephew to negotiate with him to exit the vehicle. She said her nephew is respectful but is greatly impacted by the recent passing of his grandfather. She believes he's been spiraling following his death.

Aunt of pursuit suspect speaks out

The aunt of a man who led authorities on a wild chase and 5-hour standoff spoke to FOX 11 about her nephew and says the passing of his grandfather may have impacted him.

The suspect is from Utah but was in LA visiting family.

Authorities said the driver would face charges of driving under the influence as well as assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer.

City News Service contributed to this report.

Police Chases Instastories Compton