With the aid of a smartphone app, authorities said Sunday they had apprehended an armed man who allegedly abducted his girlfriend and led police on a fast-paced, over 20-mile pursuit.
Just before 6 p.m. on November 2, the El Monte Police Department issued a news release stating that the event took place in the 10300 block of Lower Azusa in El Monte.
The suspect, named by investigators as Mario Montano, arrived at his girlfriend’s workplace “armed with a firearm and distraught.”
“The suspect engaged in an argument with the victim which escalated when the suspect forced the victim into her own vehicle and drove away not allowing the victim to exit,” according to the release.
Using the Find My iPhone app, the girlfriend was able to reveal the location of the victim and the culprit after calling a friend who informed the police.
After locating the car on the 5 Freeway close to the Bandini exit, deputies in a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department helicopter alerted the California Highway Patrol, who then made an attempt at a traffic stop.
After failing to stop, the suspect driver led CHP on a 21-mile pursuit that ultimately ended when spike strips ruptured the car’s tires close to the 405 Freeway and Westminster Avenue, according to investigators.
Read Also: Could Your $2 Bill Be Worth $20,000? Here’s How to Find Out!
The announcement stated that Montano was eventually arrested on allegations of kidnapping and criminal evasion.
Whether the claimed firearm was found was not disclosed by officials. According to investigators, the victim did not sustain any physical harm during the incident.
It is recommended that anyone with information on this case get in touch with the El Monte Police Department at 626-580-2100. If you want to be anonymous, you can leave a tip online at www.lacrimestoppers.org or by calling the L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-222-8477.
