The pursuit of a suspected thief came to a quick, and peaceful, end Thursday on the Golden State Freeway when the suspect’s Hummer ran out of gas.
According to police, the suspect was at Affordable Storage, located at 3615 N. San Fernando Blvd. The green Hummer he was driving had run out of gas while he was at the storage facility, and the suspect apparently called a friend to bring him some gasoline.
Sometime around 4 p.m., the victim came to the facility to check on their Hummer that was stored at the facility. The victim noticed the suspect tampering with their vehicle, and called police. Burbank Police responded Code 3 to the facility, which is located adjacent to the Bob Hope Airport. The police helicopter was the first to arrive over the scene. The helicopter crew reported that the suspect’s Hummer was at the closed gate to the facility. As the air crew watched, the suspect rammed the gate until it opened, then fled north on San Fernando Blvd.
The helicopter followed the suspect as he raced along San Fernando Blvd. at a high rate of speed. The driver turned onto residential streets in Sun Valley, and eventually headed northbound on Hollywood Way. The driver then turned southbound on Glenaoks Blvd., with police cars behind him attempting to pull him over. His speed was estimated at approximately 50 miles per hour when he went southbound on Buena Vista St., running through a red light before entering the northbound Golden State Freeway.
Apparently due to heavy traffic, the suspect alternated between driving on the shoulder of the freeway and the number 4 lane. Around Hollywood Way he entered the construction area on the freeway, with no way out. At this point the suspect stopped the Hummer. Police later learned that he had run out of gas — again..
Police identified the suspect as Elvis Zadouri, 30, of Glendale. He was taken into custody, arrested for evading and felony vandalism. The police car transporting him to the Burbank Jail had a full tank of gas.
