TIRES ON stolen vehicle are ripped as Huntington Beach units close in (HBPD photo).
If you can’t outrun the cops, maybe you can outswim them.
That may have been the reasoning of at least one of two out-of-towners riding in what Huntington Beach police determined to be a stolen car.
It didn’t pay off.
According to the HBPD, shortly before 10 p.m. on Sunday, an officer attempted to stop a vehicle for a traffic violation and learned that the car had been reported stolen.
The driver of the vehicle briefly pulled over, but then the two people in the car decided to “test their luck” and led officers on a short pursuit through the numbered streets of downtown before turning onto Pacific Coast Highway.
SUSPECT (at left )in the water off Huntington Beach (HBPD photo).
With help from HB1– the HBPD’s helicopter –the vehicle was tracked and police deployed spike strips, deflating the speeding car’s tires, ending the chase.
Both suspects bailed out of their disabled car. The passenger – a woman – was quickly arrested, but the driver –a man – ran onto the beach and into the ocean. Officers converged on the suspect, who was illuminated by the HB1’s spotlight, and the runaway surrendered without further incident.
Arrested were:
• Alysha Marie Turner, 36, of Los Angeles, charged with vehicle theft, possession of narcotic paraphernalia, possession of controlled substances and theft with prior convictions;
• Eric Gregory Hoppenstand, 42, of Los Angeles, charged with 12 counts including vehicle theft, evading a peace officer with wanton disregard for safety, grand theft, resisting or obstructing a peace officer and four counts of possession of narcotics paraphernalia and possession of a controlled substance.
