Harry, Meghan in car chase spokesperson calls “near catastrophic”

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were in a “near catastrophic car chase” involving paparazzi in New York City Tuesday night, his spokesperson said.

“This relentless pursuit, lasting over two hours, resulted in multiple near collisions involving other drivers on the road, pedestrians and two NYPD (New York Police Department) officers,” the spokesperson said. 

The chase was “at the hands of a ring of highly aggressive paparazzi,” according to the statement.

The pair were in New York for the Ms. Foundation Women of Vision Awards, which they attended with Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland. Harry’s spokesperson said Ragland was also with them during the chase Tuesday evening. 

Harry’s mother, Princess Diana, died in a tragic car crash in 1997 as paparazzi chased a car carrying her and her boyfriend, Dodi Al Fayed, through the streets of Paris.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams commented on the chase Wednesday, calling it “reckless and irresponsible.”

“I don’t think there’s many of us who don’t recall how his mom died,” Adams said, adding that it would be “horrific” to lose an innocent bystander during a chase like this, or for something to have happened to Harry and Meghan.

Adams didn’t provide details on the incident and said he will be briefed in-depth later on Wednesday. 

The incident in New York comes after a suspect was arrested at the couple’s home in Montecito at around 2 a.m. on Monday. The suspect, identified as 29-year-old Kevin Garcia Valdovinos, was placed under citizen’s arrest by a staff member near the home’s service entrance, a spokesperson for the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Office told CBS News.

The police arrived and he was charged with stalking. He was booked in jail and released on $2,500 bail, the spokesperson said.