Police Hunt Paparazzi Who Forced Car of Schwarzenegger, Shriver to Stop

Santa Monica police searched Saturday for two paparazzi who used their cars to cut off and force to a stop the Mercedes of Arnold Schwarzenegger and his pregnant wife, Maria Shriver, as they drove their son to school.

One vehicle, a black Jeep, struck the couple’s Mercedes-Benz, causing minor front-end damage, said Sgt. Harry Kutzbach.

Shriver was driving to an unidentified school about 9:40 a.m. Thursday when the two male paparazzi--apparently seeking photographs of the action star--pulled alongside, police said.

One car drove onto a sidewalk to pass the couple’s car while the other passed on the right, wedging in the car and forcing it to stop about six blocks from the school. The drivers jumped out and used a video camera and a still camera to photograph the couple, Kutzbach said.

No one was injured.

“I hope they slap a fine on them or even worse,” said Pat Kingsley, Schwarzenegger’s publicist.

After the incident, Schwarzenegger and Shriver stopped to drop off their son at school. But the two cars appeared again and the men again tried to photograph the couple, Kutzbach said.

The 59-year-old director of the school tried to intervene, but the video cameraman pushed her away so he could keep filming.

“She just kept saying, ‘He just got out of the hospital. Leave him alone,’ ” said Sgt. Henry Gallinot.

Schwarzenegger, 49, had heart surgery April 16 to replace a faulty valve. He returned to his Pacific Palisades home a week later.

When Schwarzenegger and Shriver left the school, the paparazzi followed, and the couple called police, Kutzbach said. They apparently later lost the tailing photographers.

The paparazzi could be arrested for investigation of reckless driving, hit-and-run driving and assault for pushing the school director, police said.