Alleged Gang Member Leads Police on Car Chase, Responding Officer Crashes and Is Injured

 

A man fleeing Pasadena police led officers on a wild car chase Wednesday afternoon until patrol units struck his car in a blocking maneuver and took him into custody. One officer rushing to the scene was involved in a traffic collision and injured.

Pasadena police Lt. John Luna said police originally received a 911 call at 5:34 p.m. from a woman who said that a young man she knew to be a gang member was threatening her boyfriend and the suspect was armed with a gun.

As officers arrived at the scene in the 100 block of West Peoria Street the suspect jumped into a four-door Mitsubishi sedan occupied by a woman and fled, Luna said.

“The police helicopter and patrol units pursued the suspect for almost three miles,” Luna said.

When the suspect attempted to make a U-turn near Marengo Avenue at Orange Grove Boulevard, Luna said, police were able to “execute a blocking maneuver which ended the pursuit.”

Officers took Eric Blanco, 21, of Pasadena, into custody without further incident.

Blanco was transported to a local hospital briefly for medical evaluation to determine if he had suffered any injuries resulting from the impact of the blocking manuever. Later in the evening Blanco was booked into the Pasadena City Jail for terrorist threats and felony evading police, Luna said.

A police officer responding to the pursuit was involved a broadside collision with another vehicle at Walnut Street and Euclid Avenue, Luna said. The sole occupant of the struck vehicle was checked by paramedics at the scene. The police officer received moderate injuries and was transported to a local hospital.

Luna said no gun was located in the suspect’s possession.