On January 28 at approximately 4:20 p.m., Simi Valley Police Department patrol officers were dispatched to the 1400 block of East Los Angeles Avenue regarding a recently reported stolen vehicle.
The victim reported that two acquaintances, Daniela McGinn (28) and her boyfriend, Nicholas Hewitt (28), stole her vehicle while she was shopping at a local business.
Officers later located the vehicle traveling eastbound on the 118 Freeway near Topanga Canyon Boulevard and initiated a vehicle pursuit. The suspect vehicle exited the freeway at Tampa Avenue, where it struck another vehicle, causing no injuries, before continuing southbound on Tampa Avenue at a high rate of speed. Due to traffic conditions, officers lost sight of the vehicle and discontinued the pursuit. An LAPD airship subsequently located and continued to monitor the vehicle in the area of Mason Avenue and Lassen Street.
The LAPD airship followed the vehicle until the suspects abandoned it and fled on foot near the intersection of Lassen Street and Balboa Boulevard. Simi Valley Police Department were in the area and took both suspects into custody without incident.
It was later determined that the suspect vehicle was involved in a second non-injury traffic collision after officers initially lost sight of it in the City of Los Angeles.
Hewitt was arrested for vehicle theft and reckless evading. McGinn was arrested for driving a stolen vehicle, reckless evading, and misdemeanor hit-and-run. Both suspects were booked at the Ventura County Main Jail.
