South Pasadena Police and the Pasadena Police Helicopter Team During Suspect Pursuit

South Pasadena police pursued a fleeing suspect in a felony criminal threats investigation through Pasadena shortly before midnight last night in an incident that took through three other cities.

The suspect led officers on the chase during an arrest operation resulting an investigation into a drug deal gone wrong.

South Pasadena police said a woman had attempted to buy marijuana from the suspect. When the delivery and the negotiated payment for the drug was disagreed upon by the suspect he became enraged and threatened to kill the victim in a very specific manner, repeatedly.

Officers determined the suspect was going to return to the victim’s residence to receive payment from the victim and the officers surveilled the residence, waiting for his arrival. Once the suspect returned to the victim’s residence, officers attempted to arrest the suspect and he fled in his vehicle from the officers at a high rate of speed, while officers gave chase.

The pursuit lasted for approximately 30 minutes and 30 miles through the cities of South Pasadena, Pasadena, Alhambra, Los Angeles and Glendale.

The suspect abandoned his vehicle in a parking structure at Glendale Community College. Officers then chased after the suspect on foot. After a perimeter was set up, the suspect was taken into custody without incident, with the assistance of Pasadena Police Department’s Aero Bureau’s helicopter.

The suspect’s vehicle contained an enormous amount of marijuana that was packaged for sale. No officers or citizens were injured during this investigation and no traffic accidents occurred as a result of this pursuit. The suspect was charged with felony criminal threats, felony evading and felony transportation for sales of drugs.