Manhunt underway after wild RV chase across L.A. and Kern counties
A parolee driving a motor home with two of his children on board led police on an hours-long car chase across Los Angeles-area freeways and into Kern County on Tuesday afternoon before escaping on foot, authorities said.
A manhunt is underway after the man fled when his motor home got stuck in an orchard. His two children, who are 3 years old and 11 months old, were found safe, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
It’s unclear exactly when he fled because the door he escaped from was out of site, said Deputy Tracy Koerner.
​​​​​Authorities said the 46-year-old man was wanted for evading, child abduction, child endangerment and weapons violations, and was involved in a dispute with his wife earlier Tuesday. Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials said the man is registered in Oregon as a sex offender.
When Los Angeles police officers encountered the vehicle near Hollywood Boulevard shortly before 3 p.m., they ordered it to pull over, according to an LAPD spokesman.
The suspect fled.
The CHP took over the pursuit as the suspect took to the 170 and 5 freeways and headed northbound on the 5, according to California Highway Patrol Officer Kevin Tao, a public information officer for the agency’s Southern Division.
The mother of the children has been in contact with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and was on the phone with the suspect as he was driving, Tao said. She tried to persuade him to pull over, said Tao.
Sheriff’s officials believe the man is armed.
“Right now the driver’s not communicating with us,” said CHP spokesman Robert Rodriguez.
A live television feed showed the vehicle speeding northbound on the 99 Freeway near Bakersfield, followed by at least half a dozen CHP vehicles and members of the Kern County Sheriff’s Office.
The motor home eventually tried to turn into an orchard but got stuck on soggy ground, Rodriguez said. The video stream showed patrol cars and officers at the scene, some wearing tactical gear. No injuries have been reported.
Source:-http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-motor-home-pursuit-20180501-story.html
