It has all the hallmarks of an only-in-Los Angeles crime: a thief stole a hearse - with a body inside - then went on a wild ride, ending with a chase and a crash on a busy freeway.
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Authorities say they found the body undisturbed inside a casket on Thursday morning and took James Juarez into custody after the crash, which closed the 110 Freeway during the morning commute.
The crime began Wednesday night, when the suspected thief stole the black Lincoln Navigator from outside St Anthony Greek Orthodox Church in East Pasadena.
The Los Angeles Sheriff's Department pleaded with the thief, whose identity was not known at that point, on social media to return the body in a post that was widely shared online.
"Out of all the bad decisions you have made, at least make one good one & bring back the deceased person & casket inside the Navigator," it tweeted.
Juarez, 25, was booked on suspicion of grand theft auto, police said.
Local media reported the body remained in the vehicle while a mortuary attendant brought a different body into the church - and that is when the SUV was stolen.
On Thursday morning, a witness reported seeing the SUV and was following it. Police pursued the hearse on local streets and onto the freeway until it crashed.
At least one officer was involved in the crash, though Los Angeles police did not immediately have details about it.
No one was seriously injured, police said.
The Sheriff's Department did not identify the mortuary.
Australian Associated Press
