Pursuit of An Armed Felony Suspect Crashed into a Bus Causing Two Fatalities NRM015-23bb

Los Angeles; On November 5, 2023, around 5:10 a.m., Newton Division patrol officers were in the area of Central Avenue and Washington Boulevard when they observed a green Ford mini-van negotiate an unsafe right turn.  Officers drove behind the Ford mini-van and discovered the vehicle had unofficial paper plates.  Officers believed this was a possible stolen vehicle since it is a common practice for suspects to remove the license plate of the stolen vehicles.

Officers followed the Ford mini-van and were preparing to conduct an enforcement stop but the vehicle entered the westbound 10 Freeway and one of the occupants tossed a firearm out of the vehicle and sped away.  Officers initiated a pursuit for the armed suspect.  The suspect evaded officers and drove at a high rate of speed.  The suspect exited the 10 Freeway and drove at 80 mph on 17^th Street and collided with an MTA Bus at the intersection of 17^th Street and Main Street.  The collision caused the death of two of the occupants in the suspect’s vehicle.  Officers located and recovered a loaded firearm on the 10 Freeway.  This firearm was stolen from the City of Inglewood.

Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics responded to the scene and pronounced one of the occupants deceased at scene.  A second occupant was transported to a local hospital and pronounced deceased.

The Multi-Disciplinary Collision Investigation Team (MCIT) responded to the scene and conducted the investigation of the double fatal collision.

The suspect was later identified as 27-year-old Albert Diaz, a resident of Los Angeles.  The suspect was arrested and booked for 187(a) PC “Murder”; booking number 6708279.

Anyone with any additional information is asked to contact Traffic Group Detectives at (213) 486-0690. During non-business hours or on weekends, calls should be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (877-527-3247).  Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call the LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477) or go directly to www.lacrimestoppers.org.  Lastly, tipsters may also download the “P-3 Tips” mobile application and select the LA Regional Crime Stoppers as their local program.