The driver of a stolen party bus was taken into custody in the Antelope Valley following a pursuit through several Southern California cities Tuesday afternoon.
The limo party bus was reported stolen around 10:15 a.m. from 4010 Morena Boulevard in San Diego, the California Highway Patrol said.
Top Dog Limo Bus owner Susie Leitzke told KTLA that the limo driver had stopped to do a pickup at a marina in Pacific Beach, when a person jumped into the bus and took off with it.
She said local police searched for the stolen vehicle for about an hour-and-a-half, when another motorist on the 405 Freeway called the company and alerted them that the person behind the wheel of one of their vehicles was driving erratically.
“We get a call from a driver off the 405 complaining to us that the person driving it was driving crazy on the freeway and doing 90 mph and I explained to him that was a stolen bus and he stayed on the phone until we called dispatch and got somebody out there,” Leitzke said.
CHP Officer Jose Barrios told KTLA authorities in the Los Angeles area were informed around 11:30 a.m. that the party bus had been stolen out of the San Diego area.
And so the chase of the 2018 black Ford bus began around 11:45 a.m. on the northbound 405 Freeway in Los Angeles, CHP said.
Sky5 was overhead around 12:10 p.m. as the limo party bus made its way from the 5 Freeway to the northbound 14 Freeway, entering the Santa Clarita area.
Barrios said the bus could be considered a dangerous weapon because of its size, and authorities would be monitoring the chase and hoping that the driver comes to a stop without hurting anyone.
The driver continued on for nearly an hour, driving on the 14 Freeway and reaching the Acton area. The driver then exited onto the Pearblossom Highway around 12:36 p.m.
Just minutes later, the party bus struck a silver sedan, sending the vehicle several feet forward. The sedan was rear ended and appeared to have major damage.
The bus then came to a halt on the wrong side of the road with three patrol units pulling up behind it.
A woman came out with her hands up, surrendering to authorities in southeast Antelope Valley, near Palmdale.
It was unclear if the driver of the silver sedan that was struck was injured, but officers could be seen talking to someone near the car.
CHP originally said there was one occupant in the vehicle but later said it was unclear how many people were inside due to the tinted windows.
Leitzke said the employee who the bus was stolen from was given a replacement party bus to continue taking his clients out.
