A man wanted in a July 3 road rage incident involving a firearm near Cloverfield Boulevard and Broadway is in Santa Monica police custody after a pursuit Tuesday, July 21, that stretched across Los Angeles County.

Santa Monica Police Department investigators tracked the suspect to the San Fernando Valley that morning. When officers tried to make contact, the man fled in a Range Rover, according to SMPD and a California Highway Patrol spokesperson. The pursuit began near the 405 Freeway–118 Freeway interchange.

CHP assumed primary responsibility for the chase, with SMPD personnel assisting.

The Range Rover became disabled just before 8 a.m. on Paramount Boulevard north of the 60 Freeway in Montebello after the driver crossed the center median, causing a minor crash. CHP officers boxed in the SUV. Aerial footage from KTLA's Sky5 showed the suspect sitting in handcuffs on the curb beside the vehicle.

SMPD officers transported the suspect back to Santa Monica.

What happened on July 3

The department said it responded Friday, July 3, to a reported road rage incident involving a firearm near Cloverfield Boulevard and Broadway. The suspect had left the scene before officers arrived. An investigation launched that day led detectives to the San Fernando Valley on July 21.

SMPD has not released the suspect's name or specified whether shots were fired or a weapon was brandished during the original incident. No victim information has been made public.

Not connected to pier shooting

During the pursuit, a CHP spokesperson initially described the suspect as wanted for murder. SMPD quickly clarified that was incorrect. The department confirmed the suspect and the July 3 incident are unrelated to the fatal shooting that occurred Monday, July 20, at Santa Monica Pier Parking Lot 1 North.

That separate case, the city's fourth homicide of 2026, remains under investigation, according to Lt. Lewis Gilmour of SMPD.

Investigation ongoing

The department said the road rage case remains active. No charging information has been released.

Southbound lanes of Paramount Boulevard near the 60 Freeway in Montebello were closed Tuesday morning due to the investigation.

Residents with information about the July 3 road rage incident can contact the Santa Monica Police Department at 310-458-8491.