Driver allegedly kidnaps man and leads police on chase through LA in bobtail with fake plates

A truck driver kidnapped a man and led police on a chase through Los Angeles in a bobtail rig with fake plates on Wednesday afternoon. 

The incident started at about 9:30 a.m. in Fontana, California on September 24th and ended at about 11:05 a.m. in Buena Park. 

According to CBS News, the pursuit started when police determined that the bobtail semi truck was using fake plates. The truck driver then led officers along the 57 Freeway before making a brief stop in Anaheim, where threw what appeared to be a water bottle out of the rig and kept driving. 

At some point, the passenger in the truck, 42-year-old Carlos Mesta, called his daughter to alert her that the driver would not let him out of the truck, then reached out of the truck cab and tried to grab on to another vehicle. The driver soon took Mesta’s phone. 

A SWAT vehicle then intentionally rammed the semi truck and caused damage to the driver’s side, but the rig kept going. By 11:04 a.m. the truck driver, 54-year-old Bill Fayed, stopped at the intersection of Beach Boulevard and Franklin Street and surrendered to officers. Mesta also gave himself up to police. 

Both men were found with outstanding warrants, and police say they were armed and dangerous during the pursuit. Mesta was taken to a hospital after the incident for reasons that are not clear. Fayed’s warrants included grand theft auto. It is not yet known if he will face kidnapping charges.