Los Angeles freeways have witnessed numerous high-speed pursuits, but none etched themselves into the global consciousness quite like the extraordinary events of June 17, 1994. This was the day of the Oj Simpson Car Chase, a surreal spectacle that captivated not just a city, but the entire world.
One legal observer at the time aptly described it as “the day Los Angeles stopped.” He wasn’t wrong.
Driven by Al “A.C.” Cowlings, Simpson’s close friend since childhood and former NFL teammate, the disgraced football icon led law enforcement on an unforgettable two-hour OJ Simpson police chase across the sprawling landscape of Southern California. This dramatic flight occurred in his iconic white Ford Bronco, shortly after he was formally accused of the brutal murders of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ronald Goldman. The OJ Simpson car chase was more than just a pursuit; it was the opening act in a tragedy that would grip America for years.
The Slow-Speed Spectacle Unfolds
As the now infamous slow-speed chase unfolded live on television, an unprecedented phenomenon occurred. People began to gather on freeway overpasses, transforming mundane concrete structures into impromptu viewing platforms. They waved, cheered, and held up homemade signs of support for Simpson. Chants of “The Juice is loose!” echoed through the air, demonstrating the bizarre mix of public fascination and support for a man accused of heinous crimes. The OJ Simpson car chase was rapidly becoming a cultural touchstone, blurring the lines between news, entertainment, and public spectacle.
A Timeline of the Chase: Hour by Hour
The seeds of the OJ Simpson car chase were sown early that morning:
8:30 a.m.: Robert Shapiro, Simpson’s defense attorney, received a call from the LAPD, instructing him to arrange his client’s surrender.
9:30 a.m.: Shapiro met Simpson at a residence in the San Fernando Valley, informing him of the 11 a.m. surrender deadline. Murder charges were officially filed, and an afternoon arraignment was scheduled.
11 a.m.: The surrender deadline passed with no sign of Simpson.
Shortly after noon: Shapiro received another call from the LAPD, stating they would publicly announce Simpson as a fugitive. Shapiro directed police to the San Fernando Valley house. Upon arrival, police found that Simpson and Cowlings had already departed.
1:50 p.m.: LAPD Commander David Gascon declared Simpson a fugitive at a press conference, confirming his failure to appear for arraignment.
2 p.m.: Police responded to a 911 call from Nicole Simpson’s residence. Her father had emerged from the house, urging neighbors to call emergency services.
3 p.m.: An LAPD officer at the murder scene informed reporters that “O.J. Simpson is not here.” District Attorney Gil Garcetti announced that anyone aiding Simpson’s escape would face felony charges. The manhunt for both Simpson and Cowlings intensified.
4:45 p.m.: An arrest warrant was issued for Al Cowlings.
5 p.m.: Robert Kardashian, a longtime friend, read a letter from Simpson at a press conference held by Shapiro. The letter, ending with “Peace and love. O.J.,” sounded to many like a suicide note.
5:51 p.m.: Simpson reportedly made a 911 call from Cowlings’ Bronco using a cell phone. His location was traced to the 5 Freeway in Orange County, near the burial site of Nicole Brown Simpson. This call initiated the on-road phase of the OJ Simpson car chase.
5:56 p.m.: The California Highway Patrol officially commenced the pursuit of the white Bronco.
7:30 p.m.: The Bronco transitioned to the 91 Freeway, then north onto the 405 Freeway in Torrance. Large crowds of spectators lined the freeways and overpasses, some displaying banners and chanting slogans, turning the OJ Simpson car chase into a bizarre public event.
7:57 p.m.: Simpson and Cowlings arrived at Simpson’s Brentwood estate. Negotiations for surrender began, marking the climax of the OJ Simpson police chase.
8:47 p.m.: Police announced “all-clear” after Simpson was taken into custody, ending the live televised drama of the OJ Simpson car chase.
9:37 p.m.: Simpson arrived at Parker Center in downtown Los Angeles, officially in police custody.
The Enduring Legacy of the Chase
The OJ Simpson car chase transcended a simple police pursuit; it became a defining “Where were you when it happened?” moment for a generation. It also served as a stark preview of the deep divisions that would characterize Simpson’s subsequent murder trial. The morning after the chase, reports highlighted crowds in Simpson’s upscale neighborhood chanting “Free O.J.” and even rocking police vehicles.
Many believe that the OJ Simpson car chase was instrumental in transforming the Simpson trial into a national obsession. Reports from 1995 indicated that an estimated ninety-five million viewers tuned in to watch the chase, captivated by the uncertainty of its outcome. Would it end in suicide, arrest, escape, or a violent confrontation? This shared experience of witnessing the OJ Simpson car chase live created a sense of collective participation in a national drama, where everyone felt intimately connected to the central figure.
The late Andrea Ford, a reporter who covered the trial, stated that the OJ Simpson car chase “locked people into this common emotional experience,” forever linking the event to the unfolding legal drama that followed.
Eyewitness from Above: The Helicopter View
In 2019, Zoey Tur, the helicopter pilot for KCBS-TV who captured the iconic aerial footage of the OJ Simpson car chase, recounted her experience. On that day, the hunt was on for Simpson. Her CBS team received information that the FBI had triangulated Simpson’s cell phone, placing him at the El Toro Y interchange in Irvine.
“I glanced down and spotted the Bronco with police cruisers on its tail. I screamed to the station, ‘We’ve got him,’ and began the broadcast,” Tur recalled. From her vantage point, the gravity of the situation was palpable. “He is one of the most famous people in America and he is running from the police as a wanted murderer,” Tur observed. “It was like a serene parade, with O.J. leading the procession.”
Looking back years later, Tur reflected, “It wasn’t the first pursuit I covered or the last… but it was the most memorable.” For millions worldwide, the OJ Simpson car chase remains an unforgettable moment in television history and a stark reminder of a day when Los Angeles, and indeed the world, stood still.
