Robert Galtman Arrested After 2 Killings, Ending 30 mph CHP PIT Pursuit

Q: What drove a double-homicide suspect to flee with a puppy during a dangerous, four-hour police chase across Southern California?

There is no public evidence yet explaining why Robert Galtman fled with a puppy during the four-hour chase. What is known is that Pomona police found a man and a woman shot to death in an apartment hallway on East Monterey Avenue just before 3:30 p.m. Thursday, and identified Galtman, 48, as the suspected gunman. He then drove off in a black Kia, triggering a long California Highway Patrol pursuit that stretched from Pomona through the Santa Clarita Valley and into the Antelope Valley. During the chase, authorities said Galtman drove dangerously, evading spike strips, crossing a median, driving on the wrong side of the freeway, weaving through traffic, and taking steep mountain roads while throwing objects from the car. CHP ended the pursuit with a PIT maneuver at about 30 mph, and officers then took him into custody without further incident. A small puppy was recovered safely from the vehicle. Beyond those facts, investigators have not publicly described a motive for the killings, the flight, or the puppy’s presence in the car. The case remains under investigation by Pomona police’s Major Crimes Unit, and officials have not released details indicating whether the dog belonged to Galtman, one of the victims, or someone else. So, at this stage, any explanation for what drove him to flee with the puppy would be speculation. The only verified answer is that the motive remains unclear.

3 articles · Updated · KABC-TV · Jun 19

48-year-old Robert Galtman was taken into custody Thursday night near Lake Elizabeth after a lengthy California Highway Patrol chase tied to a Pomona double homicide.
Just before 3:30 p.m., Pomona police found a man and a woman shot to death in an apartment hallway and identified Galtman as the suspected gunman who fled.
The pursuit followed a Kia from Pomona up the 5 Freeway through Santa Clarita, where the driver dodged spike strips, crossed a median onto southbound lanes and weaved through traffic.
On steep mountain roads, the suspect threw multiple objects from the vehicle before officers ended the chase with a PIT maneuver at about 30 mph in the Antelope Valley.
Officers arrested Galtman without a reported shootout and recovered a small puppy from the car safely, while police withheld further details on the killings.