Lakewood barricaded pursuit suspect in custody after crime spree

An hours-long Lakewood standoff came to an end Wednesday evening after a brief pursuit, as a suspect was taken into custody after committing a series of crimes earlier.

Deputies were engaged in a standoff with the possibly armed man who was barricaded inside of a car at a Lakewood parking lot with a pit bull. The man had been locked inside his car for several hours after committing various crimes, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

The suspect was wanted for an alleged series of crimes earlier in the day including threatening his mother, stealing her car, annoying children and punching a woman in the face before stealing her dog, which was recovered by a Good Samaritan.

Spike strips were laid in the front and back of the car during the standoff in an attempt to keep the car in place. SkyCal was overhead as the standoff continued and the suspect could be seen smoking cigarettes and not complying with deputies. Hours later, the man took off in his car, possibly driving over a spike strip and a parking lot island, leading deputies on an eight-minute pursuit. The pursuit ended with a PIT maneuver at Woodruff and Carson streets.

The man got out of his car with the pit bull, which allegedly belonged to him, and began running with the dog before deputies caught up with him and took him into custody.

Deputies say they are familiar with the suspect, as are community members.

"He's been out here, and he panhandles, and he has a dog, and I've given him food and cigarettes and all that stuff. It's good, maybe he'll get the help he needs, " neighbor Barry Macrae said.

The man faces a series of charges and his dog, which took off has not yet been found.