Southern California police probe gas station confrontation, possible link to Elon Musk’s security team

A confrontation last week at a South Pasadena gas station has prompted a police investigation and put the city temporarily in the national spotlight after authorities said one of those involved may have been a member of Elon Musk’s security team.

Many details surrounding the alleged assault Dec. 13  at the Arco station at 763 Mission St. are either in dispute or unclear, and any possible connection between the events that night to employees of Musk, the billionaire businessman who recently purchased Twitter, is also unconfirmed.

What is known is that authorities began an investigation after a Connecticut man claimed Dec. 13 that another driver, who had accused him of following the vehicle, later hit him with a car.

South Pasadena police found out Dec. 15 the suspect may be a member of Musk’s security team, according to a Dec. 20 statement from city officials. But authorities have not identified that person or offered any other details

A competing version of the gas station altercation came from a social media posting by Musk on Dec. 14, when he tweeted that a “crazy stalker” followed a car in Los Angeles in which his young son was an occupant.

The man blocked the car and climbed on the hood, Musk claimed in the tweet. He also posted a video of the man and asked if anyone recognized the man or the car. Musk did not mention a gas station in the social media post

After the tweet, Musk changed rules on Twitter to say that accounts “doxxing real-time location info of anyone will be suspended, as it is a physical safety violation.” That rule change, and Musk’s subsequent suspension from Twitter of several news reporters who he claimed may have violated the rule, became fodder for national headlines.

But more than a week after the confrontation, few new details about what happened at the gas station have emerged.

According to the statement from city officials, is that South Pasadena police headed to the gas station at 9:51 p.m. on Dec. 13 after receiving a call of an assault involving a vehicle. The suspect was gone by then.

The alleged assault victim told police he got off the northbound 110 Freeway and stopped to use his telephone in a parking lot in the 700 block of Mission Street. Another vehicle pulled directly in front of him, blocking his path.