At a Los Angeles 7-Eleven, a woman reportedly asked for help by using hand signals behind her back. This led to local police arresting convicted felon John Palombi, who is accused of domestic violence and has multiple past convictions, which include a high-speed pursuit with the police.
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According to a release issued by the Alhambra Police Department (APD) on August 31, the incident occurred at a 7-Eleven located on Fremont Avenue and Montezuma Avenue. APD officers had arrived after receiving a report of suspicious circumstances.
Officers determined during their investigation that a domestic violence incident had occurred. Asking for help, the woman, unnamed, had used hand signals behind her back. A Good Samaritan, who observed what she was signaling, called 911.
As seen in bodycam footage also shared by the APD, the woman and the man, who was then identified as Palombi, were asked to exit the store to carry out separate interviews. At one moment, however, Palombi is asked to stand up for a pat-down. Instead of complying, Palombi is seen attempting to flee the scene.
He was unsuccessful, as he “didn’t even make it out of the parking lot.” Palombi was booked into the APD Jail, and it was discovered that he had an active warrant and a stun gun. He remains held on no bail.
Previous Convictions, High-Speed Pursuit
Jail records reviewed by KCAL News show that John Palombi has multiple previous convictions. These include parole and firearms violations, robbery, drug crimes, and, most notably, leading police on a pursuit.
As previously reported by the outlet, a high-speed pursuit began on Wednesday, April 5, 2023, at around 10:30 p.m., involving Palombi and the Los Angeles Police Department.
The then-36-year-old man managed to avoid spike strips along the way. However, he eventually lost three of his tires, police said at the time. As he struggled to maintain control of his vehicle, sparks flew from it. Palombi, however, didn’t stop until around 11:30 p.m., approximately an hour after the pursuit started.
After stopping his damaged vehicle, Palombi exited the driver’s seat with his hands up and was arrested.
If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, you can reach the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233. You can also chat with a representative at thehotline.org​ or by texting “START” to 88788.