With her blonde wig and a shoe flying off, a woman who authorities said led police on a pursuit in a stolen work truck, rammed patrol cars, blasted through a fence and ran across a freeway finally took refuge in a Denny’s on Sixth Street in Corona on Monday night, Oct. 2.
The 26-year-old resident of Los Angeles was led out of the restaurant in handcuffs as news media and law enforcement helicopters circled and curious onlookers photographed her.
The woman was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, possession of stolen property and evading police. La Habra police said she was on parole after a burglary conviction.
The pursuit began around 8:10 p.m. in the area of Imperial Highway and Idaho Street in La Habra after police had responded to a report of a stolen truck.
“The suspect immediately rammed a police vehicle with an officer inside,” a La Habra police news release said.
The suspect drove away, fleeing Orange County and into Chino Hills, Eastvale, Ontario and Norco before heading south on the 15 Freeway and west on the 91.
The driver exited at Lincoln Avenue in Corona and drove into a parking lot. There, the truck was surrounded by three patrol cars. The driver again rammed patrol cars and drove through a chain-link fence, dragging it with the truck. The truck drove down an embankment and onto the westbound 91 but headed east.
After somehow avoiding multiple collisions, the truck became disabled in the left lane. The driver got out and ran across the westbound and eastbound toll lanes and the eastbound regular lanes. She ran into the Denny’s parking lot, where she gestured toward a car and then shed some of her clothes.
She then ran into the Denny’s, where an employee would later tell ABC7 that there was only one customer inside.
She attempted to flee out the back but gave up on that strategy. Police and their K9s descended on the restaurant and arrested her. She was taken to a hospital in an unknown condition before being booked.
