A high-speed chase in Ontario leads to death of a bystander as well as the suspect
A high-speed chase in Ontario over the weekend ended in a multicar collision and the deaths of two people: a bystander whose car was smashed in the wreck, and the suspect, who was shot by police.
Police say the incident began after the Ontario Police Department received a 911 call regarding a disturbance on the 400 block of West Maple Street at 10:30 a.m. Sunday.
The caller told dispatch his sister's ex-boyfriend was threatening to enter a residence if his sister did not go outside, a police report stated. He also notified dispatch that the ex-boyfriend had a history of domestic violence and threats involving a gun.
Police later identified the ex as Orlando Roman, 39, of San Bernardino.
When officers arrived, they located Roman, who was believed to be armed, and began to negotiate with him, but he refused to exit his vehicle, police said. Told that a warrant had been issued for Roman, officers ordered him to surrender, leading to a standoff that lasted about 30 minutes before he drove off, KABC-TV reported.
Read more: 3 L.A. police chases in less than 24 hours result in multiple injuries, one death
According to police, Roman led officers on a high-speed chase on surface streets and the 60 Freeway — driving through oncoming traffic on the wrong side of the highway — that ended near Grove Avenue and Philadelphia Street, where he triggered a three-car pileup.
Roman got out of his car and tried to carjack another vehicle, police said, and when that failed ran, armed with a handgun, toward Cucamonga Avenue and Philadelphia Street, where he was shot by police.
He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. A handgun was recovered from the scene, police said.
The shooting is being investigated by the Ontario Police Department and the San Bernardino County district attorney's office.
Two drivers whose cars were involved in the collision were taken to a hospital, where Amanda Powers, 44, of Ontario was pronounced dead. The other was released with minor injuries.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
