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POMONA - A man and a woman were taken into custody today in Pomona after leading authorities on an hours-long pursuit that began in Murrieta and spanned four counties.
Riverside County sheriff's deputies and California Highway Patrol units began pursuing a dark-colored pickup truck driven by a supposedly armed man suspected of murder, according to multiple broadcast reports. The man led authorities south to Escondido in San Diego County before returning to Riverside County.
The man made his way through Jurupa Valley on the westbound Pomona (60) Freeway into the Ontario area in San Bernardino County. He eventually exited the freeway in Los Angeles County before reentering on the eastbound side, driving on the right shoulder through heavily congested traffic.
During the pursuit, the man could be seen throwing papers out onto the freeway, raising his middle finger to pursuing authorities and taking both of his hands off of the wheel as he drove at high speeds.
The man exited the eastbound Pomona Freeway in Pomona and led authorities through several residential areas, alleys and parking lots. At one point, the man's erratic driving caused a head-on collision between a sedan and a box truck, though no one was reported injured.
The pursuit ended at about 7 p.m. after the man drove through a gas station and collided with a big rig.
The driver of the big rig, Ahmed Shabaan, told Fox 11 he wanted to help authorities end the pursuit.
"I was waiting for him,'' Shabaan told the station. "I was trying to see where he was at exactly so I could pinpoint him and then I blocked him.''
Shabaan said his instincts kicked in and he took action.
"I just thought to get him off the street, because if I didn't, if (authorities) had been behind him for that long and didn't stop him, I have the power.''
The man surrendered to police, but was taken by paramedics to a hospital with an apparently injured leg.
He was identified by Bakersfield TV station KGET as Michael Caleb Reed, who is suspected of killing a 40-year-old man on March 28 in Kern County.
The U.S. Marshals Service told the station Reed is the suspect who was arrested in Pomona.
A woman passenger also surrendered and was taken into custody and later released.
The woman, identified only as Roxy, told Fox11 the driver is a friend from Bakersfield who picked her up in Temecula and they were headed to Los Angeles to help a friend of the suspect who had recently been shot.
Copyright 2021, City News Service, Inc.
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