A dramatic police standoff brought the 91 Freeway in Riverside to a standstill on Friday morning after a crash involving a stolen Kia triggered a major law enforcement response and hours-long closure.
According to the California Highway Patrol and Caltrans, all eastbound and westbound lanes between 14th Street and Mission Inn Avenue were shut down as officers surrounded a heavily damaged blue vehicle and established a perimeter. The shutdown remained in place for several hours under a Sigalert, causing significant traffic delays across the region.
Authorities say the suspect entered the freeway via the 14th Street onramp and immediately collided with another vehicle, setting off the chain of events that led to the closure. Tactical units, including officers with rifles and K9 teams, quickly responded and converged on the scene as drivers in nearby lanes watched the situation unfold.
An armored vehicle was also deployed as part of the operation. At one point, officers used a tactical smoke device, filling the stolen Kia with thick white smoke after the suspect reportedly barricaded himself inside and refused to surrender.
After a prolonged standoff, the suspect—described as wearing a black shirt and jeans—exited the passenger side of the vehicle around 10 a.m. as officers issued commands. He was taken into custody without further incident.
By approximately noon, authorities began reopening the freeway and traffic gradually resumed, bringing an end to the hours-long disruption caused by the crash and police response.
