Two car chases end in violence...

Two car chases end in violence

Huntington Beach Police officers were kept busy Monday with not

one, but two high speed chases.

The first chase took place just before 8 p.m., when Anaheim

resident Randy Herbert Dukes led police on a chase at 90 mph after

officers tried to stop him on Pacific Coast Highway west of Seapoint

Avenue. He was driving a stolen maroon 1996 Toyota Camry.

Dukes, 40, ran through several red lights before he turned north

onto Seal Beach Boulevard and spun out, Huntington Beach Police Sgt.

Gary Meza said.

Dukes regained control of his car and tried to ram a police car

before he continued to head north on Seal Beach Boulevard.

As he approached Westminster Boulevard, Dukes lost control of the

car again. A police officer used his car to push the Camry against a

curb, blocking it in, Meza said.

Dukes got out of the car and ran from officers before being caught

a short distance away.

No one was hurt. Dukes was arrested on suspicion of felony evading

and assaulting a police officer.

A scant two hours later the second pursuit of the night took place

when Fountain Valley resident Duy Thanh Le, 35, allegedly tried to

evade police after being stopped for speeding on pacific Coast

Highway near Main Street.

Le was booked on suspicion of drunk driving, driving under the

influence of a controlled substance and felony evading after leading

police on a chase that exceeded 100 mph.

Le fled eastbound along Pacific Coast Highway toward Newport Beach

where he made a U-turn at 61st Street before spinning out. He then

drove straight at officers, who drew their guns and fired, Meza said.

Le drove back toward Huntington Beach with police in pursuit.

A spike strip was used to deflate the car’s tires near Pacific

Coast Highway and Goldenwest Street, but Le continued to drive past

Anderson Street, where officers used their cars to spin the Lexus off

the road and onto the dirt shoulder.

The suspect would not get out of the car and officers used bean

bags to break the car’s window. They then fired pepper spray balls

into the car and Le came out of the car and surrendered, Meza said.

No one was hurt during the chase, Meza added.

-- Jose Paul Corona