Laguna Beach : Teens Held After Chase, Accused of Truck Theft

After leading police on a wild chase through a Laguna Beach neighborhood, three Corona teen-agers were arrested Tuesday night and accused of stealing a truck from a Santa Ana repair shop and trying to run over two officers who pursued them.

The youths were in the truck heading eastbound on Coast Highway at 8 p.m. when Newport Beach Police Motorcycle Officer Rob Jacoby motioned the driver to pull over because of an apparent equipment violation, police spokesman Bob Oakley said.

When the truck stopped, Jacoby pulled up behind. But the driver allegedly began backing into the motorcycle, knocking Jacoby off. The truck then sped away. Crystal Cove State Park rangers heard Jacoby call for help via police radio, so they joined the pursuit.

By the time the truck reached Laguna Beach, several police cars were following at speeds of up to 70 m.p.h., Oakley said. At one point, the truck tried to ram a patrol car driven by Laguna Beach Police Officer Gary Gosper, the spokesman said.

The truck finally crashed into a parked van and the youths ran into an art fair, where police apprehended them.

The three teen-agers were taken to Juvenile Hall in Orange and booked on suspicion of auto theft and two counts of assault on a police officer. Their names were withheld because their age.