By Bill Carey
Police1
COMPTON, Calif. — A traffic stop of a suspected DUI driver became a lengthy pursuit and standoff before the driver was taken into custody.
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies pursued the driver when he refused to pull over for the traffic stop, KTLA reported.
The driver evaded two PIT maneuvers attempted by deputies and drove over center dividers and on the wrong side of the road. During the pursuit, the driver could be seen inhaling something from a blue tank and a balloon, KCAL reported. A sheriff’s department spokesperson said that the contents of the tank were not immediately known.
Deputies were able to box the vehicle in when it reached a dead-end street. A spike strip was laid down as the driver attempted to back into the police vehicles.
Deputies fired multiple pepper balls into the cab of the pickup, breaking a portion of the rear window, but the driver refused to exit the truck.
Several hours later a drone was flown in to distract the driver before deputies tossed tear gas canisters into the truck, forcing the suspect out of the driver’s side window.
The driver attempted to flee but was quickly surrounded and taken into custody.