Two Los Angeles men were arrested after they crashed a stolen vehicle on the 134 Freeway near the Forest Lawn exit as they tried to flee from Burbank Police at 5:30 a.m., Wednesday, December 25. Anthony Garay and Javier Hernandez, both 20, were taken to County-USC Medical Center with moderate injuries and later arrested on multiple charges connected to auto burglary and grand theft auto.
Burbank Police were responding to an auto burglary call on the 600 block of N. Frederic St. the morning of December 25 when officers noticed a Volkswagen Jetta driving on the wrong side of the street with its lights off, according to Sgt. Darin Ryburn of the Burbank Police Department. The vehicle’s license plate came back as reported stolen on December 24 by LAPD.
When officers initiated a traffic stop, the Jetta turned onto Buena Vista St. and headed south, reaching speeds of 50-60 miles per hour. Once the vehicle got on to the 134 Freeway headed east, it reached speeds of 90 miles per hour and the Burbank Police officers ended the pursuit because of the dangerous speeds. However, as the officers exited at Forest Lawn to return to Burbank, they noticed the Jetta had crashed on the freeway.
Garay, the driver, was sent to the hospital with a fractured leg and arrested by the California Highway Patrol, who are handling the investigation of the freeway crash and pursuit. Hernandez was treated at the hospital with serious cuts and lacerations and arrested and booked by Burbank PD and then sent to L.A. County Jail. Both men were arrested for grand theft auto and auto burglary and are being held on $25,000 bail. They are due in court later this week. Garay was also charged with failure to yield and other charges relating to the high-speed chase.
Officers also found a third-row seat from the initial auto burglary call on N. Frederic St. and other items consistent with multiple auto burglaries in the crashed Jetta. The Jetta was totaled.
Cops: 1 Crooks: None
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