Jul 2, 2008 10:38 pm US/Pacific
Driver On Cell Phone Sparks High Speed Chase
BEVERLY HILLS (AP) ―
A man who was pulled over for violating California's new hands-free cell phone law led police on a high-speed chase Wednesday in which he smashed into several parked cars and drove the wrong way onto the freeway.
An officer initially stopped Richard Travers, 46, in Beverly Hills because he was seen using a hand-held cell phone while driving a van, then he ran a check on the license plate and discovered the vehicle had been reported stolen, Lt. Tony Lee said.
When the officer approached the van, the suspect took off "driving recklessly at a very high speed," Lee said.
During the pursuit, the van struck two cars but did not cause any serious injuries, he said.
Travers then drove south for about half a mile on the northbound Interstate 405 before pulling over to an embankment. Lee said he tried to carjack another motorist before fleeing on foot to surface streets in West Los Angeles.
Travers was captured a block from the freeway, Lee said.
He was taken to a hospital with unspecified injuries, Sgt. Richard Knudsen said.
Lee said he could face several charges, including attempted carjacking, grand theft auto, felony possession of narcotics, hit-and-run and evading police.
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