El Monte Police Air-45 Tracks Stolen Acura — Suspect Arrested in River Bed After High Speed Chase and Foot Pursuit
- February 14, 2012
- recovery stories
In the early morning hours of January 28, 2012, El Monte Police Department Air-45 flight officers were on routine patrol when they began to pick up a silent LoJack signal on their onboard LoJack Police Tracking Computer. When they called the LoJack reply code into the national system, they were informed that the signal was coming from a 1992 Acura Integra, which had been reported stolen minutes earlier to the LASD Industry Station.
Following the directional cues from the tracking computer, the flight officers tracked the Acura to the area of Ramona and Maxon, and relayed the location information to ground units. The ground units responded, and attempted to make a felony traffic stop of the moving Acura. However, the driver evaded the officers and entered the freeway. Traveling at a high speed, the driver exited at Valley Boulevard, where he lost control and hit the center median. The suspect then exited the vehicle and fled into a river bed. Air-45 tracked the suspect utilizing its search light until ground officers reached him, taking him into custody without further incident. The suspect was later booked for numerous felony violations.
The LoJack Vehicle Recovery System was installed in the Acura Integra in April 2000 at the owner’s request.