Man fuels up during high-speed chase at LA gas station and escapes LAPD [VIDEO]

Suspect Refuels During Wild LA Police Chase Before Escaping On Foot

Last night (August 22), Los Angeles viewers witnessed a police pursuit unlike anything typically seen on live television. A suspect, driving a stolen dark blue Infiniti sedan, managed to pull into a Shell gas station in Lynwood, refuel, and drive away. All the while, LAPD helicopters circled above. The moment, captured live by ABC7’s AIR7 HD and amplified online after X user @FearedBuck reposted the clip, instantly went viral and reignited LA’s longstanding fascination with high-speed chases.

The suspect’s brazen decision to stop for fuel during a chase — something straight out of a video game — stunned anchors, law enforcement, and social media alike. Even more shocking, he later managed to escape, ditching the vehicle under an overpass in downtown Los Angeles before vanishing on foot.

A Chase That Stretched Across Los Angeles

The pursuit began around 9:45 p.m. in the Wilshire area, near USC, when LAPD officers identified a stolen Infiniti sedan and attempted to stop the driver. Instead of pulling over, the suspect sped away, weaving recklessly through surface streets and then merging onto freeways at speeds topping 130 miles per hour.

The chase cut through multiple areas of Los Angeles, including South LA, East LA, Compton, Lynwood, and the Fashion District downtown. For nearly an hour and a half, the suspect evaded capture by using a combination of speed, sudden U-turns, and risky maneuvers on packed freeways.

Ground units from both LAPD and the California Highway Patrol engaged early on but eventually backed off multiple times due to safety concerns. By the time the chase reached its peak, only police helicopters tracked the Infiniti from above.

The Unbelievable Gas Station Stop

Shortly before 10:50 p.m., with the chase already in full swing, the suspect pulled into a Shell gas station at Imperial Highway and Long Beach Boulevard in Lynwood. The ABC7 AIR7 chopper, following closely, caught every second of the wild move.

Viewers saw the suspect nervously get out of the car, cover his face with his shirt, and quickly begin pumping gas. Commentators on the live broadcast were audibly shocked, one exclaiming:

“This is a wild scene… he’s just stopping for gas in the middle of a police chase.”

The suspect appeared animated, constantly glancing toward the sky as if aware the helicopter camera was locked on him. He paid in cash, hurriedly dropped the pump back into place, and sped away within about 45 seconds.

Strangely, no one at the station intervened. A motorcyclist at a nearby pump continued fueling, seemingly unfazed by the unfolding chaos. For viewers at home, it felt surreal — a cinematic moment of calm in the middle of one of LA’s most dangerous pastimes.

Escaping In Downtown Los Angeles

After topping off his tank, the suspect resumed the chase, speeding back onto surface streets and freeways. He weaved through Compton before heading toward downtown LA. By this point, CHP briefly re-engaged but once again pulled back, leaving only aerial surveillance.

Around 11:20 p.m., the Infiniti drove under the 10 Freeway overpass at Alameda Street in the Fashion District. When the car emerged, it rolled driverless into a utility pole. Authorities later determined the suspect had bailed out under the overpass, likely using the cover of the bridge to disappear unseen.

The suspect may have fled on foot or switched to another waiting vehicle, but either way, by the time ground units reached the scene, he was gone. As of press time, he remains at large.

Inside the abandoned car, investigators reportedly found a firearm, which may provide critical forensic evidence. LAPD continues to review video footage and potential tips to track down the driver.

Why Did He Get Away?

The escape wasn’t simply luck. It reflected several realities of Los Angeles police pursuits:

• Public Safety Policies: Both LAPD and CHP frequently disengage from high-speed ground pursuits if the danger to bystanders outweighs the chance of arrest. In this case, ground units had already pulled back when the suspect stopped for gas, making intervention nearly impossible.
• Strategic Choices: Stopping for fuel was high-risk but effective. The suspect calculated correctly that police weren’t close enough to act. Later, ditching the car under an overpass — a move dubbed a “classic trick” by commentators — ensured the helicopters briefly lost sight.
• Pursuit Culture: LA averages hundreds of vehicle pursuits each year, many involving stolen cars. Overpasses, tunnels, and aqueducts are common escape routes, often used to blind helicopters.

Although the suspect escaped in the moment, many similar cases end in later arrests through fingerprints, DNA, or surveillance footage. Authorities have not confirmed whether they believe the suspect had accomplices.

The Moment Trended Online

While LAPD worked to locate the suspect, social media exploded with reactions. The viral repost by @FearedBuck quickly racked up millions of views on X, with users worldwide weighing in.

Reactions ranged from disbelief to humor:

• Humor and Shock: “This is the most unserious place on this planet ” one user wrote, while another joked, “If you can pull that off you should legally be a free man.” Countless comparisons were made to Grand Theft Auto, with one viral post declaring, “The world every day becomes a GTA server.”
• Criticism of Police: Others slammed LAPD and CHP, saying it was unbelievable the suspect could stop for gas and still get away. “A car chase, a gas stop, and still no arrest — unbelievable,” one comment read.
• Neutral Amazement: Some viewers simply marveled at the audacity. “Insane scenes,” wrote one, while another added, “I’ve never heard of anything like this.”

The moment also crossed into entertainment media, with outlets like Complex and The Shade Room reposting the footage with headlines like “WILD” to emphasize the absurdity.

How It Fits Into LA’s Chase Culture

High-speed pursuits have been part of LA’s cultural fabric for decades, from the infamous O.J. Simpson white Bronco chase to countless helicopter broadcasts since. They’re watched live as both breaking news and bizarre entertainment, often pulling in huge viewership numbers.

In this case, the chase lasted nearly 90 minutes and drew in a massive late-night audience. The fact that it culminated in a gas station pit stop only added to the spectacle, ensuring its place in the city’s growing archive of legendary pursuits.

What sets this one apart, however, is that the suspect actually escaped — something that doesn’t always happen, especially when a chase is broadcast live.

What Happens Next?

Though the suspect remains at large, LAPD officials have indicated that forensic evidence from the Infiniti, along with video analysis, could eventually lead to an arrest. In many similar cases, suspects who seem to “get away” in the moment are tracked down weeks or months later.

For now, the viral clip serves as both entertainment and frustration — entertainment for those who compared it to video games, and frustration for those who see it as a sign of gaps in law enforcement response.

Regardless, one thing is certain: the sight of a suspect calmly stopping for gas in the middle of a televised police chase is an image Los Angeles won’t soon forget.