Woman held after high-speed chase on 405 Freeway

A woman allegedly caught siphoning gas Monday afternoon in Fountain Valley led officers on a high-speed chase across the busy 405 Freeway, where she smashed into two vehicles and a business before being being apprehended in Culver City, authorities said.

At times, the woman reached speeds of 90 mph as she zigzagged across northbound lanes of the freeway, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The incident began shortly before 3 p.m., when the woman was seen siphoning gas. It was unclear whether she was trying steal the fuel or commit suicide, Officer Saul Gomez said.

She fled in her vehicle with Fountain Valley police in pursuit. The CHP took over the chase as the woman was heading north on the 405 Freeway.

She got off the freeway at Washington Boulevard but became bogged down in traffic on the off-ramp, according to the CHP. At that point, the woman rammed two vehicles and smashed into a fence and business at the bottom of the ramp before driving away on Washington, Gomez said.

She continued to Culver Boulevard in the downtown Culver City area and stopped her vehicle. She got out with her hands raised, but tried to get back in her car. The woman was wrestled to the ground and placed in handcuffs, the CHP said.

“She was being uncooperative,” Gomez said.

The name and age of the woman were not released. The incident was under investigation.

This story was reported by Times Staff Writer Robert J. Lopez.