The driver behind Friday night’s wild, high-speed pursuit is awaiting her court appearance after being captured in South Los Angeles.
Leazia King, a 20-year-old Los Angeles resident, was booked on suspicion of grand theft, felony evading, commercial burglary and hit and run related to the reported theft of champagne from a Glendora Vons and the resulting pursuit.
King’s bail was set at $1 million. She is being held in the Glendora jail in anticipation of a pending court date, said Lt. Matt Egan of Glendora Police.
Expensive bottles of champagne and other bottles of alcohol were reportedly taken from the Vons, 435 E Foothill Blvd., Friday night, Egan said.
Police responded to a call of theft in progress from Vons at 9:38 p.m. The arriving officer recognized the black Mercedes-Benz fleeing the area and attempted a traffic stop, but King and her three accomplices refused to stop and the pursuit began.
The pursuit went westbound on the Interstate 210 freeway, at which point one of the four suspects threw large bottles of alcohol out of the moving car, striking the pursuing officer’s vehicle, said Sgt. Shelly Gold of Glendora Police.
California Highway Patrol officers eventually took over the pursuit, which wound its way through Downtown Los Angeles and South LA on surface streets at high speed.
King failed to negotiate a turn. The Mercedes-Benz jumped a curb, flew through the opposing street, jumped a second curb and struck the side of a building. All four suspects fled the damaged car.
King was the only suspect captured.
Los Angeles County booking records were not available Sunday night.
