South Gate Teacher Accused of Lewd Acts Crashes Car After Police Chase

LOS ANGELES (CNS) - A possibly suicidal Los Angeles Unified School District physical education teacher accused of committing lewd acts on a child was hospitalized today after driving his pickup truck over an embankment in Rolling Hills Estates while being chased by police and California Highway Patrol officers.

The chase began in Lakewood around 12:40 p.m. Tuesday and ended about 50 minutes later when the suspect, identified as Kip Arnold, sent his pickup truck soaring off Silver Spur Road into the base of a tree.

``Earlier in the week we received information that an LAUSD teacher committed some lewd acts with a child,'' said Bell police Lt. Ty Henshaw.

Arnold, identified by the LAUSD as a teacher at Southeast Middle School in South Gate, had been under surveillance at his Lakewood home for a day or two, Henshaw said. He said Bell police were about to arrest the man – the result of an investigation conducted by his department, the district attorney's office and school police -- when he walked out of his home.

``We tried to stop him when he came out. He did stop and he said, `Hey, I know why you're here. I'm going to commit suicide,''' Henshaw said.

He then got in his vehicle, rolled up the window and drove away.

California Highway Patrol officers joined the pursuit about 12:50 p.m. on the southbound San Diego (405) Freeway. The chase then went onto Pacific Coast Highway, where the suspect went west through Torrance.

About 1:15 p.m. near Western Avenue, a patrol car spun out the black pickup truck, which became wedged into the side of a stopped big rig for a few minutes, but Arnold sped away again. He drove south on Crenshaw Boulevard and when he reached Silver Spur Road around 1:30 p.m., he swerved off the road.

Henshaw said the man was alive and talking when authorities reached his crumpled pickup truck.

Arnold remained hospitalized early today and had not yet been booked, said a Bell police dispatcher. His condition was not disclosed.

According to the LAUSD, Arnold was arrested ``on suspicion of lewdbehavior with a former student, and possibly additional victims.'' He has worked eight years for the LAUSD, previously teaching at Nimitz Middle School and Gage Middle School, both in Huntington Park, and Orchard Academies 2B in Bell, according to the district.

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