Police chase suspect beats LA holiday traffic, ditches car in residential area

Police chase suspect ditches car while it's still running

A lengthy police chase ends abruptly after the suspect ditches the car while the vehicle is still running.

LOS ANGELES COUNTY, Calif. - A suspect led authorities on a wild police chase during Los Angeles County's notorious holiday traffic Tuesday night.

The suspect, accused of stealing the SUV they were driving in, led the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department on a chase across parts of the San Gabriel Valley, the eastern parts of Los Angeles County and South Gate.

Over the course of the chase, the suspect was seen driving recklessly on the freeway, trying to beat the holiday traffic by driving off the road, weaving dangerously around nearby cars and then driving on the wrong side of the road.

At one point during the chase, the suspect was spotted pulling over to the side of the road and then dropping off multiple passengers from the car. The suspect eventually ditched the car in a residential area of South Gate while the vehicle was still moving. As of Tuesday night, no arrests have been announced.

Officials did not say where the car may have been stolen from. Other than ignoring traffic signs, driving recklessly and evading officers on live TV with the suspected stolen SUV, it is unknown if the suspect was wanted for other crimes.