SoCal cops hitch ride to catch accused dressing-room creep

A pair of quick-thinking Southern California cops turned a stranger’s pickup truck into an impromptu police cruiser during a wild pursuit of a sex offender accused of trying to secretly film a teenage girl changing her clothes.

The chase unfolded in Corona after officers responded to a report of a man slipping his cellphone beneath a dressing room door while an unsuspecting teenage girl was getting changed, according to the Corona Police Department.

The suspect, Riverside resident Ivan Gallardo Lopez, 38, allegedly bolted when officers arrived, setting off a frantic foot chase that took an unexpected turn when a Good Samaritan came to the rescue.

Bodycam footage released by police captured the moment officers enlisted the motorist’s help, hopping into his vehicle to close in on the fleeing suspect.

“Where to?” the driver is heard asking.

“Keep going down,” an officer responds, directing the motorist toward the suspect.

With the stranger behind the wheel, officers were able to gain ground on Lopez and eventually corner him, bringing the chaotic chase to an end, police said.

The footage shows officers ordering the suspect to put his hands behind his back before placing him under arrest.

“You’re the man, dude,” someone can be heard saying after the arrest, giving the heroic driver a well-deserved shoutout.

The unusual takedown began after police were called to the 1200 block of Magnolia Avenue, where Lopez was accused of placing his cellphone underneath a fitting room door while a teenage girl was changing.

But the disturbing allegations took an even darker turn when investigators discovered that Lopez was already a registered sex offender, according to authorities.

Lopez was arrested on multiple charges related to child annoyance and unlawful recording.

A magistrate approved a $1 million bail enhancement for Lopez, who remained behind bars at the time of the department’s announcement.

Investigators now fear the alleged dressing-room incident may not have been an isolated case.

Corona police said detectives believe there could be additional victims and are urging anyone who may have encountered Lopez under similar circumstances to come forward.

Meanwhile, the department celebrated the mystery motorist whose willingness to lend a hand helped bring the pursuit to a swift conclusion.

“Sometimes catching a suspect takes more than just running shoes!” the Corona Police Department wrote in a Facebook post detailing the unusual arrest.

“A huge thank you to the community member who stepped up to assist our officers!” the department added. “Moments like these highlight the importance of the partnership between our community and law enforcement.”

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