A tense standoff took place on the 91 Freeway in Riverside Friday morning after a crash involving a stolen Kia prompted a substantial response from law enforcement. All eastbound and westbound lanes were closed between 14th Street and Mission Inn Avenue, as heavily armed officers surrounded the wrecked blue vehicle, according to the California Highway Patrol and Caltrans.
The closure lasted several hours and traffic finally cleared around noon.
Motorists watched as tactical officers carrying rifles and K9 teams approached the scene, with armored vehicles also arriving. At one point, officers pumped thick white smoke into the Kia after the suspect barricaded himself inside and refused to comply with commands to exit.
At approximately 10 a.m., a man dressed in a black shirt and jeans climbed out of the passenger side as officers continued to give directions. He was promptly taken into custody.
Video footage later showed the suspect on a stretcher, surrounded by paramedics and officers. Although several ambulances were dispatched to the scene, there has been no confirmation regarding any injuries resulting from the accident.
The California Highway Patrol hasn’t provided any information about the suspect, when the Kia was reported stolen, or what led to the standoff.
As the situation unfolded, some stranded drivers got out of their cars to film the unusual police action in the middle of the freeway.
