Puppy “miraculously” unharmed after being tossed from car in L.A. police pursuit

A puppy thrown from a moving vehicle during a police chase through Los Angeles “emerged unharmed” and was rescued by responding officers, the Los Angeles Police Department said.

Authorities say the dog was thrown from the vehicle in a Michael Kors bag by a wanted suspect, who police were pursuing on Friday afternoon in connection with an attempted murder and carjacking that had taken place in the area on March 26. The pursuit spanned multiple cities and eventually ended in Carson, about 10 miles south of the spot where the original crime allegedly happened.

The puppy was turned over to South L.A. Animal Services after it was rescued, the Los Angeles Police Department’s public information officer wrote on Twitter Saturday.

“Miraculously the dog emerged unharmed and was rescued by responding LAPD officers,” the PIO wrote in one of several tweets about the pursuit. “The puppy is now in the care of South L.A. Animal Services, where it is presently being held pending an investigation into the abandonment concern that was noted during the pursuit.”

Officers arrested three suspects in connection with the pursuit, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. They have been identified as Gustavo Alvarez, 27, and Lynette Moreno, 27, of Los Angeles, and Michelle Zamudio, 25, of Santa Monica, police said. 

Alvarez is accused in the attempted murder and carjacking incident that happened on March 26, and is being held without bond on an attempted murder charge. Moreno and Zamudio are respectively accused of “setting up” a getaway vehicle and driving it, according to Los Angeles police. Both are charged with evading police, and Moreno faces accessory charge in addition. Bail for the latter two suspects has been set at $67,000 and $75,000. 

The police investigation into the alleged crimes is ongoing.