Robbery may be linked to Santa Ana shooting

Alex Coolman

COSTA MESA -- An attempted robbery Monday afternoon on Baker Street

could be related to a drive-by shooting that occurred soon afterward in

Santa Ana, police said.

A man tried to rob a pedestrian in the 200 block of Baker Street at

about 3:35 p.m., said Costa Mesa Police Lt. Tom Curtis.

The robbery was foiled, however, and the suspect drove away in a white

Honda without any of the victim’s money. No one was injured in the

incident.

Only 12 minutes later, Santa Ana police responded to a report of a

drive-by shooting in the 2200 block of South Orange Avenue.

Lt. Bob Chavez of the Santa Ana Police Department said nobody was hit

in the shooting, but the car reportedly involved in the incident was a

white Honda -- one that matched exactly the description of the car sought

by Costa Mesa police.

Chavez said another car began to pursue the Honda after the shooting

on South Orange, but both cars soon crashed.

When the Honda crashed in the area of Orange Avenue and Anahurst

Place, the occupants -- described only as two males -- took off running.

The car that had been pursuing the Honda also crashed, and most of its

occupants fled from the scene. Police arrested the driver of the second

car, however.

Police do not know if the same suspects were involved in both

incidents. There are no suspects in custody in connection with the

attempted robbery or the shooting.