SAN DIEGO — A woman who allegedly stole a party bus in San Diego County led authorities on a freeway chase Tuesday into the Antelope Valley in northern Los Angeles County, where she slammed into the rear of a sedan then quickly surrendered.
The motorist was arrested about 12:40 p.m. after the Top Dog Limo Bus Inc. vehicle rear-ended a sedan and came to a stop on Pearblossom Highway near Old Nadeau Road, which is near the Antelope Valley (14) Freeway.
The name of the suspect, who did not appear to be injured in the crash, was not immediately available. The driver of the sedan that was rear-ended was treated by paramedics at the scene and was able to exit the car, but was placed in an ambulance to be checked at a hospital.
The owner of the bus company, Susie Leitzhe, told CBS 8 that a limo driver was picking up a client on Morena Boulevard in San Diego Tuesday morning and got out of the vehicle when the suspect jumped inside and took off.
"My driver went to pick up the clients and somebody jumped into the bus and stole the bus around 10:30 this morning," Leitzhe said. "About an hour and a half later, we received a call from somebody that was on the 405 going north in Long Beach, making a complaint. We called dispatch at the same time."
The driver followed the party bus and stayed on the telephone, leading authorities to the location of the pilfered vehicle.
The chase by California Highway Patrol officers made its way onto northbound State Route 14 near Palmdale.
WATCH: High-speed chase of stolen San Diego party bus ends in crash on LA freeway
Along the way, a spike strip was deployed by authorities, but the driver did not stop. The bus then transitioned to Pearblossom Highway, where the driver encountered slower-moving traffic.
A few minutes later, the bus crashed into the silver sedan, sending the car several hundred feet forward and into opposite lanes of traffic before it came to a stop. A short time afterward, the suspect got of the bus and was taken into custody at gunpoint. No one else was aboard the bus.
The company owner said she was grateful to the good Samaritan who followed the bus.
"I do want to thank the person that did call in to complain, that followed the bus, and the dispatchers and the police for helping moving this along," Leitzhe said.