Gun Recovered, Five Arrested After Assault Leads to El Monte Pursuit

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

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EL MONTE – Police arrested five people involved in an alleged assault Sunday night that led to a pursuit into Los Angeles and back again.

The five suspects were involved to varying degrees in an assault in the 10500 block of Valley Boulevard around 8 p.m. November 14. The victims, a father and son, were allegedly assaulted after leaving a restaurant, according to lt. Pete Rasic of the El Monte Police Department.

Police quickly saw the suspect vehicle near the scene after the victims described the vehicle. The driver and suspects sped away after officers attempted a traffic stop, Rasic told SGV CityWatch.

The fled officers at high speeds, sometimes at 100 miles per hour.

During the pursuit a handgun was tossed from the suspect vehicle, but was later recovered, Rasic told SGV CityWatch.

The pursuit ended with three suspects being quickly detained on Santa Anita Avenue near Valley Boulevard in El Monte.

Two suspects continued to flee on foot, with one fleeing into the rather large Rio Hondo flood control channel, but both fleeing suspects were caught, Rasic told SGV CityWatch.

In an odd twist, a vehicle seemingly unrelated to the pursuit caught fire on Santa Anita Avenue south of Valley Boulevard just after the pursuit ended.

The driver of the burning vehicle told officers that while in Los Angeles he was a victim of a crime involving the assault suspects. Officers are investigating this new allegation, Rasic told SGV CityWatch.

Booking information was not yet available.