SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A high-speed chase through Sacramento ended in a dramatic standoff and vehicle fire late Saturday night in Downtown Sacramento, authorities said.
The pursuit began around 11:45 p.m. near 44th Street and 11th Avenue in Oak Park, according to Sergeant Amar Gandhi, spokesperson for the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies initiated the chase over a vehicle code violation and later discovered the driver was wanted on felony gun and drug charges.
The chase rapidly escalated, snaking through the city streets and eventually reaching Midtown via Alhambra Boulevard. The situation reached a critical point when the suspect’s vehicle crashed near 5th and S Streets, with the driver barricading himself inside.
The suspect, identified as 42-year-old Michael Eugene Littleton, refused to surrender, leading to the arrival of the Sacramento police’s SWAT team, Gandhi explained.
In a joint effort, the Sacramento Police Department, Sheriff’s Deputies, and the California Highway Patrol engaged in a tense standoff. Reports from police radio and eyewitnesses indicated that officers broke the vehicle's windows and used gas to extract Littleton. Gandhi stated that Littleton then set the vehicle on fire using a lighter on the floorboard.
Littleton was eventually apprehended amidst the chaos. He emerged from the burning vehicle, partially complying with officers' commands. Non-lethal force was employed to secure his compliance, resulting in his arrest without further incident.
Firefighters rushed to the scene, but the vehicle was fully engulfed in flames before they could intervene safely. Littleton is now in custody, and an investigation into the incident is ongoing.
