Armored vehicle rams suspected stolen big rig in dramatic police pursuit

A wild scene unfolded in front of motorists in Buena Park on Wednesday morning after the driver of a suspected stolen big rig refused to stop for police and led officers on a chase across multiple counties, with the chase ending after an armored vehicle got involved to help pin the truck in.

The big rig, which was not hauling anything at the time of the chase, was finally reined by multiple unmarked vehicles and Fontana police at Beach Boulevard and Franklin Street just after 11 a.m., where two men inside the vehicle exited at gunpoint.

There were several tense moments in the chase leading up to its conclusion.

At one point during the chase, which was broadcast live on KTLA, the big rig pulled to the side of the road and its passenger communicated with a pedestrian before moving on. Later, the big rig pulled up alongside an SUV and the passenger appeared to pick up an item, about the size of a phone, set on top of the SUV’s roof.

Then, an armored vehicle known as a BearCat, broadsided the big rig in an attempt to stop it. Armored vehicles are not typically involved in police pursuits. Fontana Police Officer Steven Reed, who was on the air with KTLA, said he did know know where the BearCat came from or how it got involved.

Several other unmarked SUVs with officers wearing tactical vests were also chasing the SUV, which was reportedly being pursued because its license plate did not match the vehicle, Reed said.

The chase ultimately came to an end after the BearCat managed to get in front of the vehicle and cut off its path. An officer inside emerged from a porthole at the top of the vehicle and trained a rifle on the passengers inside the big rig. They quickly surrendered as officers swarmed the intersection.

Reed said chasing a big rig brings other factors into play beyond a regular police chase.

“There’s a lot more to watch on a bigger vehicle like that and trying to watch inside the vehicle and see what movements they’re doing,” he said. “Access can be different and there could be weapons inside the vehicle.”