A man said to be about 40 years old was arrested after he crashed a stolen pickup truck into a Lake Forest service station while being chased by sheriff’s deputies.
The 2004 Ford F-250 crashed about 2:30 p.m. at a 76 gas station on the northwest corner of El Toro and Trabuco roads, Orange County Sheriff‘s Lt. Jeff Hallock said.
The chase began after deputies in Yorba Linda picked up a LoJack theft recovery system signal about 2 p.m. Saturday in the area of the Riverside (91) Freeway and Yorba Linda Boulevard, Hallock said.
A sheriff’s helicopter in the area responded and helped locate the source of the signal, establishing the exact location of the stolen vehicle as it headed south on state Route 241 from the Riverside Freeway and onto Santiago Canyon Road through Silverado Canyon, the lieutenant said.
“Once ground units assembled, a felony traffic stop was initiated on westbound El Toro Road and Live Oak Canyon Road,” he said. “The vehicle failed to yield and was pursued westbound (on) El Toro Road for approximately 2-3 miles.”
The pickup clipped another vehicle as it entered the intersection of El Toro and Trabuco roads, causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle, which jumped a curb and slammed into a service bay at the gas station, Hallock said.
The suspect then tried to run away, but was taken into custody after a short foot chase through an adjacent commercial complex, Hallock said.
The pickup had been reported stolen Friday in San Diego, he said.
The suspect was arrested on suspicion of possession of stolen property, felony evading, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and delaying or obstructing a police officer. He was uncooperative with investigators and his name was withheld pending confirmation of his identity, Hallock said.
— City News Service