Hot Police Chase and Maneuvers on 91 Freeway Ended after Fatal Standoff with Armed Driver in Anaheim
A lengthy standoff between a suspect involved in an armed pursuit and law enforcement resulted in the closure of the 91 freeway in Anaheim on Friday. The situation came to a conclusion around noon when the suspect was found on the roadway with a gunshot wound which appeared to be fatal.
The eastbound lanes of the 91 freeway at Imperial Highway have reopened, while the westbound lanes will remain closed until 3:38 p.m. due to an ongoing police investigation.
The identity of the person responsible for the fatal shot remains unknown, despite ongoing communication between the police crisis negotiation teams and the suspect driver via cellphone.
Before the standoff, there was a police chase involving the driver who was being sought for an armed stalking incident in Corona at around 8 a.m. A suspect’s actions on the 91 freeway resulted in its closure and a significant traffic jam, prompting drivers to resort to unconventional measures to alleviate the congestion.
The suspect remained inside a blue sedan, sandwiched between two black law enforcement vehicles on the highway, for several hours. Caltrans provided an update on the freeway closure at 9 a.m., and the standoff persisted until approximately noon.
A crisis negotiation team from the Corona Police Department communicated with the suspect using a cellphone, as the suspect was considered armed and dangerous.
Caltrans officials announced just before 9 a.m. that the freeway closure has been extended from the point where the 91 freeway intersects with the 55 freeway to the vicinity of the Lakeview Avenue exit on the 91.
By 11 a.m., the highway was virtually empty as frustrated drivers began to turn around and find alternate routes. Authorities stated that the California Highway Patrol provided assistance to drivers in safely exiting the closed highway.
A significant number of law enforcement officers, a few of them brandishing firearms aimed at the vehicle, along with two K-9 units, participated in the police response.
Following an incident, school officials have placed students at Orange Unified Pre-K and Crescent Elementary School under a shelter-in-place order, affecting two elementary schools in the area. Parents and buses at Orange Unified were able to pick up students early.
Between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m., there was a significant amount of traffic on the highway, with cars closely packed together. The scene was captured from above, showing numerous patrol vehicles in the vicinity.
CHP has confirmed the conclusion of a pursuit, which resulted in the closure due to an ongoing criminal investigation.
There was a traffic collision in one area of the traffic jam, with a semi-truck parked horizontally on the highway.
