Mom Brings Child Along On Road Rage Chase, SWAT Standoff: LASD

DIAMOND BAR, CA — A 30-year-old woman repeatedly rammed another driver in a fit of road rage, slammed into a sheriff's patrol vehicle, led police on a high-speed chase ending in a head-on crash and an hours-long standoff, all with a child in the car, police allege.

The three-hour standoff ended in Diamond Bar Tuesday night when a Los Angeles Sheriff's Department SWAT Team lobbed tear gas into the woman's car to get her to release her nine-year-old daughter. Once freed, the girl ran into the arms of a nearby SWAT Team officer.

The woman, Margaret Hassan of Pomona, remained in custody Wednesday on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, child endangerment and felony evading. She is being held on $130,00 bail, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department reported. Hassan's daughter was taken to a hospital for a precautionary medical examination and was released to the custody of the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services.

The drama largely unfolded on live television as news helicopters followed the dramatic chase through the San Gabriel Valley area. The driver of a red sedan was seen running red lights and stops signs at high speeds while sideswiping other vehicles.

Police began chasing Hassan following a a hit-and-run crash at about 3:20 p.m. Tuesday involving a civilian vehicle near the Walnut-Diamond Bar Sheriff's Station at 21695 Valley Blvd. in Walnut, according to Deputy Trina Schrader of the Sheriff's Information Bureau.

"The pursuit stemmed from the female suspect (Hassan) becoming involved in a road rage incident with another motorist on the road, which transpired into the suspect using her vehicle as a weapon against the other motorist," Schrader said.

"Deputies were flagged down by the motorist who had repeatedly and intentionally been rear-ended by the suspect vehicle," Schrader said. "Deputies attempted to contact the suspect at which time she fled from them in her vehicle."

A sergeant was involved in a crash while trying to take command of the pursuit, Schrader said. The sergeant was taken to a hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries and later released.

The suspect led deputies through Ontario, Chino Hills and Chino before turning back to Diamond Bar and was shown on news video using her car to push other vehicles out of the way, driving between stopped vehicles and on the wrong side of busy streets.

While speeding on El Prado Road in Chino, the suspect was seen narrowly missing head-on collisions with at least three vehicles while driving on the wrong side of the street.

The car became disabled on Diamond Bar Boulevard between Palomino Drive and the Pomona (60) Freeway after rear-ending another vehicle, and deputies surrounded it. They fired at least a dozen bean bag-type rounds into the car to try to break the tinted windows so they could see inside. Then they waited for the SWAT team.

The sheriff's SWAT team arrived with crisis negotiators and armored vehicles. At about 7 p.m., with armored vehicles surrounding three sides of the car, tear gas was fired into the vehicle.

"After introducing a gas agent, and to the surprise of all personnel, an unknown female child exited the rear of the vehicle and was brought to safety in the arms of an SEB deputy," Schrader said. "Shortly thereafter, the female suspect was removed from the vehicle and taken into custody without further incident."

Sheriff Alex Villanueva tweeted about the incident Tuesday night, writing: "Thankfully @SEBLASD ended this tense situation with a peaceful resolution. Our deputies did not know there was a child in the car. The child is now safe, and the suspect is in custody. Bringing this barricade situation to an end and restoring order to our community."

City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report.