SAN DIEGO — San Diego police had to fire pepper balls at a suspect Saturday morning in an Alta Vista neighborhood to bring him into custody after he led officers on a pursuit in a stolen vehicle.
Authorities observed an SUV driving erratically in the Gaslamp Quarter and attempted to make a traffic stop of the SUV around 2:15 a.m., according to Lieutenant Jake Resch with San Diego Police Department.
"Once they [officers] conducted a records check of the license plate, they discovered it was a stolen vehicle," Lt. Resch said.
Officers said the driver of the SUV did pull over for the traffic stop but ultimately took off from the officers and failed to yield to lights and sirens.
Lt. Resch said the driver was pursued from Downtown San Diego to the Alta Vista area before officers lost sight of the SUV.
San Diego police requested air support to the area to assist with the search of the suspect.
Airborne Law Enforcement (ABLE), San Diego Police Department's helicopter, was able to locate the SUV and a possible suspect hiding in the backyard of a home in the 6300 block of Elsberry Street, Lt. Resch said.
Video from OnScene.TV showed the possible suspect perched above a home fence, using his jacket and tissue papers to shield his body and face from the pepper ball rounds fired at him by officers.
San Diego police said officers had to use less-lethal force to persuade the suspect into custody.
Officers eventually approached the suspect and tackled him to the ground as he struggled with officers; he was eventually taken into custody.
The unidentified suspect was transported to an area hospital to be treated for unknown injuries.
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