Rosemead, CA – Vehicle Theft Suspect Causes Collisions on 10 Freeway; Civilians Restrain Him
Posted on December 26, 2018 Written By: iadminlaw
Vehicle Theft Suspect Causes Collisions on 10 Freeway in Rosemead; Civilians Restrain Him
ROSEMEAD, CA (December 26, 2018) – A man who authorities believe stole a GMC van, caused two crashes, and tried to carjack and vandalize other vehicles before civilians restrained him died on Monday morning.
The December 24 incident began when people witnessed a man—identified as Ramon J. Lopez, Jr., a 39-year-old resident of Huntington Beach—driving erratically on the 10 Freeway to the west of New Avenue. Lopez was traveling eastbound on the freeway, which is also known as the San Bernardino Freeway, in a vehicle described as a GMC Safari van.
The time was roughly 11:17 a.m.
According to witnesses, Lopez hit a silver Scion xB, and then left the scene, G. Bembi said. Bembi is an officer with the California Highway Patrol. The vehicle Lopez was in was seen to be moving erratically. Moments later, Bembi said, Lopez hit a Volkswagen Jetta.
Reports say the Lopez continued fleeing in the eastbound lanes of the freeway. Near San Gabriel Boulevard, the van was disabled. It sat in the express lanes, blocking traffic. According to Bembi, Lopez exited the van holding a small tire iron. He started away on foot, and traffic had reduced speed because of the stalled van.
According to Bembi, Lopez came up to a BMW that had stopped in the freeway’s number 3 lane. He jumped on the car’s hood and began smashing the windshield, breaking the glass. Bembi said the people in the BMW were not hurt by the broken glass. Respondents took the driver to a hospital to be treated for possible shock.
Lopez climbed off the BMW. He hit a left side window of a Toyota Corolla that had come to a stop in the freeway’s number 4 lane. Lopez broke the glass, but the Toyota’s driver was not injured, and drove away.
Lopez then crashed into a Ford Explorer, using his body, striking the vehicle’s left side door, and denting it. According to Bembi, Lopez cursed the people in the Ford Explorer, and yanked the vehicle’s door handles. He may have been trying to carjack the vehicle.
Traffic was stopped in the eastbound direction. Reports say a number of civilians tackled Lopez to the ground and struggled to keep him there. When respondents arrived with an ambulance, they released Lopez. According to Bembi, Lopez at that point appeared unresponsive.
Respondents gave Lopez emergency medical treatment and transported him to County-USC Medical Center. Bembi said Lopez was pronounced deceased from cardiac arrest.
No details have yet been reported on the identities of the people involved in the incident. Investigators are looking into the details and information to find out what caused the incident.
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