LBPD arrest suspect in parking structure after city-wide pursuit

Long Beach Police ended a 40-minute crosstown chase in the parking structure at Cal State Long Beach by arresting a San Bernadino man on several criminal charges, including assault with a deadly weapon.

Leonel Galvez, 32, was detained Wednesday at the Long Beach City Jail in lieu of $35,000 bail. His arraignment is required to take place within three working days but no court date had been set as of Wednesday afternoon.

Other charges against Galvez include evading a peace officer, driving without license plates and reckless driving. The assault and evading charges are felonies. Galvez is also charged with a variety of traffic infractions stemming from the pursuit.

"He was committing violations right and left," said Harry Erickson, press intelligence officer for the Long Beach Police Department. "...driving on the wrong side of the road and running red lights."

The chase began in North Long Beach, where officers were flagged down by an unidentified woman who said Galvez was following her and indicated his car, Erickson said.

Galvez allegedly then fled when police asked him to yield . He was finally apprehended on the fourth level of the structure. Erickson said Galvez gave up peacefully.

Police gave the following account:

The incident began with a traffic dispute between Galvez and the woman, which occurred near the intersection of Los Coyotes Diagonal and Bellflower Boulevard in east Long Beach.

When the woman started to leave the scene, she noticed Galvez following her and took evasive measures. Galvez stayed behind her.

The woman planned to go to the LBPD's North Long Beach station for help but spotted a police car before she got to the station.

The woman then stopped the car and Galvez was ordered to halt, but he refused.

Since the vehicle Galvez was driving had no license plates and a rear window was broken, police decided to view it as a possible auto theft and a pursuit was authorized.

The 1986 Dodge Colt did not belong to Galvez, Erickson said. Police were attempting to locate the owner to determine whether it had been stolen.

Two witnesses reported that a University Police roadblock failed to snare the suspect but managed to impede Long Beach police by its presence.

University Police said they did not participate in the arrest. Erickson, who read the LBPD police report, said he knows that University Police were on the scene but could not confirm or deny the witnesses' assertion.