Thieves Crash Killing Innocent Motorist in La Palma
LA PALMA, Calif. (Dec. 19, 2024) – A woman in her 60s died Wednesday in a violent crash at La Palma Avenue and Moody Street involving a suspect fleeing police.
Police attempted a traffic stop on grocery store thieves in a white Nissan Rogue around 12:30 p.m., but the suspects fled and led deputies on a pursuit that ended in the deadly La Palma collision.
The theft happened at an Albertson’s grocery store in Fullerton. Anthony Hanzel, 40, of Anaheim, reportedly fled in the Nissan and refused to stop for police.
The suspect was first involved in a minor crash at Brookhurst Road and Orangethorpe Avenue. The Anaheim man fled that collision and led police on a pursuit along the 91 Freeway before exiting on Knott Avenue in Buena Park.
La Palma police officers took over the pursuit near La Palma Avenue and Walker Street before it ended with the Nissan running a red light. The Nissan reportedly T-boned the woman’s blue BMW at the La Palma intersection. The vehicles also collided with three others that were stopped at a traffic light at La Palma Avenue and Moody Street, police said.
Surveillance video shows the collision and aftermath with extensive damage.
Paramedics transported the suspect and a female passenger from the minivan to a hospital for treatment of minor injuries.
Police later arrested Hanzel and he was booked at Fullerton City Jail. He faces charges including hit-and-run, petty theft, and felony evading, the Los Angeles Times said. Also, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department will investigate the fatal crash and more charges are possibly pending.
There are no further details at this time and the case remains under investigation.
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Source: Los Angeles Times, ABC News
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