Police capture suspected carjacker at Costa Mesa hotel

COSTA MESA -- A 24-year-old Santa Ana man pleaded not guilty Tuesday

to a carjacking in Costa Mesa in November.

Charles Thomas Huff, who was arraigned at Harbor Justice Center in

Newport Beach, also pleaded not guilty to seven other felony charges

relating to car thefts and evading while driving carelessly, as well as a

misdemeanor count of resisting police.

Because Huff already has a prior felony conviction for a home

burglary, his maximum sentence for the new charges could be doubled to

between 15 and 27 years in prison, said Deputy Dist. Atty. Michelle

Cipolletti, who filed the case.

Huff is suspected of carjacking a Ford Mustang at gunpoint from its

owner Nov. 12 on Newport Boulevard.

On Saturday, a caller told the Costa Mesa Police Department that

someone had parked a stolen Dodge Neon in the parking lot of the La

Quinta hotel on Harbor Boulevard, said Lt. Dale Birney, police

spokesman.

As officers arrived at the hotel to put the man under surveillance, he

left his room and drove off in the car, Birney said. A chase on the

northbound San Diego Freeway ensued and continued on foot after the car

crashed at the Brookhurst Street exit.

Police arrested Huff in connection with the incident.

Bail was set at $100,000, and Huff remains in custody. A pretrial

hearing is scheduled for Thursday at Harbor Justice Center.

-- Mathis Winkler