Police identify suspect who led police on chase through North Philadelphia

Police have identified a suspect in a pursuit that ended on the roof of a North Philadelphia building earlier this week.

Luis Rivera-Ortiz, 25, has been charged with aggravated assault, possession of an instrument of crime and related offenses after police say he led them on a chase while officers attempted to serve a warrant.

Dozens of police cars were involved in the afternoon chase that started at 9th and Lehigh, where detectives from the major crimes auto squad were doing surveillance on the Rivera-Ortiz. Officers spotted him getting into a white van and when they ordered him to stop they say he sped off.

"He actually crashed into a major crimes police vehicle. Two detectives had to physically jump out of the way of the van that ran right towards the two detectives," said Chief Inspector Scott Small.

Police trailed the suspect for about three miles but had to call off the pursuit when they say the suspect began going the wrong way on the Boulevard. Eventually, he pulled into a parking lot in the back of a business on the 5300 block of North 5th Street where officers were waiting after a police helicopter trailing him alerted them. Rivera-Ortiz then climbed onto the roof of the business. Police found a ladder and followed him to make the arrest.

"He was actually trying to jump off but police were able to pull him back on and make an apprehension," said Chief Inspector Small. Police say Rivera-Ortiz has three active felony arrest warrants and is wanted for burglaries, car thefts, failure to appear in court and assault on police.

"This is a very dangerous individual who commits a lot of crimes and very desperate to escape from police custody," said Chief Inspector Small who also said Rivera-Ortiz is the same person who escaped custody last month and crashed into a marked police car before getting away.

One officer suffered minor injuries during the chase, but it remains unclear how they were injured.