Motorcyclist Leaves Threatening Note On Bike Following Pursuit Ending In Pasadena

A motorcyclist led authorities on a chase for about 90 minutes today — at one point stopping for gas — then left a threatening note that caused evacuations around the Pasadena parking garage where he was taken into custody, police said.

The chase began about 11:10 a.m., when deputies from the sheriff’s Norwalk Station tried to stop the motorcyclist for traffic violations, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

The biker kept going, and authorities pursued him, but then transitioned to monitoring his progress by helicopter. At times, the motorcycle was going more than 100 mph, according to broadcast reports.

About noon, the suspect pulled into a gas station in Baldwin Park, where a motorist was putting gas into a vehicle. The motorcyclist pulled up to the motorist and used that person’s gas nozzle to pump some gas into the motorcycle’s tank, then sped off.

The motorcycle went onto the westbound San Bernardino (10) Freeway, onto the northbound San Gabriel River (605) Freeway and onto the westbound Foothill (210) Freeway.

About 12:30 p.m., the suspect exited the freeway and drove into a multi-story parking garage in Pasadena at Green Street and Euclid Avenue.

The man hid in the garage before being found and arrested, said Lisa Derderian of the city of Pasadena.

After the man was taken into custody, authorities summoned a bomb squad to the scene to make sure the parking garage was safe due to a concerning note that the motorcyclist left on the bike, Derderian said.

The immediate area around the parking garage was under evacuation orders, and it was unclear when evacuations might be lifted.

Details of the note left on the bike were not disclosed. The evacuation was lifted a short time later.