Driver pursued from South Bay to Orange County arrested

A man authorities said was driving a stolen vehicle and led officers on a pursuit from Chula Vista to Orange County was arrested Monday night, the California Highway Patrol said.

The incident began at about 5:49 p.m. when an officer patrolling in a motel parking lot on Broadway near F Street located a vehicle that had been reported stolen, said Chula Vista police Lt. Ernie Pinedo. While in the parking lot, the officer tried stopping the Kia Optima, but the driver fled and struck the officer’s vehicle, Pinedo said.

“The officer was not injured. He was in the car with a seatbelt, but he was shaken up — just the fact that he had a car coming at him and struck his police vehicle,” Pinedo said.

The officer pursued the Kia as it traveled east on state Routes 54 and 94 and on surface streets, then westbound on Interstate 8, while a law enforcement helicopter followed overhead.

CHP officers took over the chase on Interstate 8 near Severin Drive in El Cajon, said CHP dispatcher John Schmitt.

About 7:35 p.m., the car drove over a spike strip and at least one of its tires was punctured. The car could later be seen traveling north on I-5 on heavily damaged tires in a KTLA live feed.

Eventually, the car slowed and stopped on I-5 in Buena Park, Schmitt said. The man initially refused to exit the car. A CHP officer shot several pepper balls at him while he remained inside, according to the live stream.

A dog was deployed, and the driver jumped onto the hood of the car, the KTLA live stream showed. Officers apprehended the driver about 7:45 p.m.

The incident was one of two that started in San Diego County and ended in Orange County on Monday.

Shortly after 7 p.m., a caller reported seeing a driver speeding in a residential neighborhood in Clairemont, said San Diego police Officer John Buttle.

“The caller said that he honked his horn at her because she was (traveling) at a high rate of speed, and she took offense to that and started following him,” Buttle said.

The woman drove onto northbound Interstate 5 with police following, Buttle said.

CHP officers took over the pursuit. Eventually, authorities deployed a spike strip to disable the vehicle near the Orange County line.

The woman was taken into custody about 10:15 p.m.