HC—07

High Speed Pursuits

HIGH SPEED PURSUITS

I live on a busy street that stretches the valley. It has few signals, bumps, dips or stops. Some nights when the traffic slows to a quiet I can hear a car race past followed by police sirens. While the OJ chase is embedded in the collective memory, the chase that is etched deep within my psyche is the '98 Daniel Jones pursuit, which interrupted my afterschool cartoons and ended with him unfurling an anti-HMO banner over the freeway, setting his car on fire and taking a shotgun to his head. A KTLA newscopter broadcast the scene live, and the following morning, a news crew stationed itself outside Cheremoya Elementary to conduct interviews. My classmate Nick recounted the incident in detail— gesturing towards his head.

Revisiting it now I learned there was no pursuit, Daniel strategically parked his Toyota truck at the curve around the 110 /5 fwy interchange for the most impactful camera angle and dialed 911. This pursuit, and the multiple pursuits that take place near daily, all televised live, feel distinctly ~Hollywood~. The suspect directs the shot, the city plays the lead. A recent cinematic night short was directed by a motorcyclist who pushed 140mph on the freeway.

On colder days I like to pack the car and cut through Coldwater Canyon to Malibu. Nathan drives (at reasonable speed) and I take snaps of the passing sights on my phone.