Wrong way, hit-and-run driver causes mayhem on 101 Freeway, crashes in Hollywood

A wrong-way, hit-and-run driver, who reportedly crashed into more than a dozen cars on the 101 Freeway before exiting to surface streets in Hollywood and colliding with yet another motorist while police were chasing him, was taken into custody Tuesday, authorities confirmed to KTLA.

Officers with the Los Angeles Police Department responded to reports of a suspect possibly driving under the influence at around 4:16 p.m. at the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Bronson Avenue.

Footage of the incident obtained by KTLA shows the suspect in a white pickup truck with heavy front-end damage just moments after the collision.

Police were quickly out of their patrol vehicles with guns drawn, ordering the suspect to exit the vehicle. The suspect pushed aside the airbags in the cab of the truck and stumbled out onto the street where he was eventually arrested.

A few moments later, one officer was seen dousing a small fire that had ignited underneath the suspect’s truck.

John Londono, whose vehicle was hit by the wrong-way driver on the 101 Freeway, told KTLA that he watched the suspect slam into at least 20 cars while traveling northbound in southbound lanes of the freeway.

“There was an accident. I guess he was trying to get away and started driving the opposite way of traffic,” he explained. “He started hitting all kinds of cars so everybody would move. He must’ve hit 20 cars, trying to move everybody out of the way so he could escape.”

According to Londono, the suspect was driving in the wrong direction on the 101 Freeway near Universal Studios before making it all the way back into Hollywood.

“He caused a giant pile-up on the freeway,” Londono added. “I was able to get off and now I see his car over here. I wanted to get information because he went head-on with my car on the freeway.”

Another victim, Alejandro Corredor, was struck by the suspect when he ran a red light on Hollywood Boulevard at Bronson while police were in pursuit.

The impact of the collision was hard enough to deploy the airbags in his vehicle, which he only just bought two months ago.

“I got it at a dealership brand new,” Corredor explained of his car. “My first brand new car ever, two months ago. What are you going to do?”

The suspect appeared to have minor injuries and was taken to the hospital by medical personnel with the Los Angeles Fire Department.

No other injuries were reported.

It’s unclear just how many charges the man will face. Police told KTLA that a field sobriety test would be performed to determine whether the suspect was under the influence of drugs and or alcohol.

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