Southern California(Thechieftainspear) – A 21-year-old man was taken into custody Wednesday night after leading police on a dangerous high-speed chase through multiple cities in Southern California, eventually ending near the Santa Monica Pier.
Authorities identified the suspect as Alex Villegas of Santa Monica. He allegedly stole a work van in Simi Valley near Tapo Canyon Road and Alamo Street before officers began pursuing him. The chase spanned several freeways, including the 118 and 405, before reaching Santa Monica.
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During the pursuit, Villegas drove recklessly, running red lights, weaving through traffic, and even traveling on the wrong side of the road. Along the way, he narrowly avoided hitting pedestrians and cyclists while colliding with two vehicles. Despite crashing, he continued to flee until abandoning the van near Colorado Avenue and Main Street.
Bystanders at the Santa Monica Pier watched as Villegas attempted to escape on foot. However, the chase ended when he stopped running, laid down near the iconic pier sign, and surrendered to police.
Villegas was arrested and now faces multiple charges, including possession of a stolen vehicle, felony evasion, and two counts of hit-and-run.
Authorities later confirmed that the stolen work van had been returned to its rightful owner.
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