A 19-year-old man identified as Christian Fuentes surrendered to Los Angeles police on Wednesday after leading officers on an hourlong chase through multiple neighborhoods, ending with him hiding in a recycling bin. Fuentes, who was taken into custody around 6:45 p.m., had been pursued after reports of a man with a gun on a dirt bike near Cabot Street and Blake Avenue in northeast Los Angeles.
The pursuit began around 5:40 p.m. when officers responded to a call about an armed suspect on a blue dirt bike. Helicopter footage from local affiliates captured Fuentes speeding through northeast L.A., South L.A., and the Broadway-Manchester neighborhood, often appearing to talk on his phone while riding. At one point, he stopped at a gas station, used a contactless payment to refuel, and drove off without removing the nozzle, tearing the hose from the pump.
Fuentes later rode into Athens Park, where officers closed in before he sped away. He was seen stopping in a park, picking up a large container of liquid from the grass, and pouring its contents into his gas tank. After ditching his bike, he jumped over a fence and climbed into a recycling bin, where officers found him. He emerged with a limp, removed his mask, and surrendered with his hands up.
The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed the pursuit and arrest but did not immediately disclose additional details about the initial report of a firearm or the contents of the container Fuentes used to refuel his bike.