The vehicle sped southbound on 3rd Street and attempted to cross the intersection at Ocean Park Boulevard
A suspect was arrested in recent weeks after a stolen vehicle crashed in Santa Monica, prompting a police investigation that led to the recovery of a loaded handgun.
According to the Santa Monica Police Department, the incident began around 10:45 a.m. on April 10, when the department’s aerial unit, SKY1, located a stolen vehicle at a gas station near 4th Street and Pico Boulevard. Officers attempted to contact the driver, but the suspect fled the scene at speeds reaching 80 miles per hour.
Officers did not initiate a pursuit, police said, but SKY1 continued tracking the suspect from the air.
The vehicle sped southbound on 3rd Street and attempted to cross the intersection at Ocean Park Boulevard. It struck a center median, became airborne, and collided with another vehicle before coming to a stop against a cement pillar on private property at the southwest corner of the intersection.
The suspect fled on foot, but was quickly taken into custody with assistance from officers guided by SKY1.
During a subsequent search, officers recovered a loaded handgun hidden in a trash can along the suspect’s flight path. Investigators also found a spent shell casing nearby, prompting an ongoing follow-up investigation.
Detectives later learned the vehicle had been reported stolen during an armed carjacking. The suspect’s identity has not yet been released, and no injuries were immediately reported.
Police said the case remains under investigation.
