Chase ends when tank runs dry

Lolita Harper

The empty tank of a gas-guzzling 1999 van ended a potentially

disastrous police chase through three cities Monday afternoon, as the

silver vehicle sputtered to a stop at a crowded intersection on the

Balboa Peninsula, police said.

Costa Mesa Police officers were just about to call off their

30-minute pursuit to avoid the dangers of a high-speed chase through

the popular beach community when the stolen van came to a stop at the

corner of 42nd Street and Seashore Drive, officials said.

“Most of the chase was pretty well controlled, but when he got

down on the peninsula, of course, there was concern because of the

congestion,” Costa Mesa Police Sgt. Burt Santee said.

Costa Mesa resident Felipe Arris, 39, was eventually arrested on

suspicion of felony evading arrest, auto theft, possession of a

controlled substance (cocaine), drunken driving and driving on a

suspended license, Santee said.

“There were probably a few misdemeanor charges thrown in there,

too, but those are the big ones,” he said.

Arris was allegedly riding his bike along Harbor Boulevard when he

saw a silver Chevy Astro van in an auto lot in the 2400 block with

keys left in the ignition, Santee said. The man ditched his bicycle,

jumped in the car and drove off, he said. Owners of the lot reported

the stolen van at 4:10 p.m.

A few minutes later, Costa Mesa Police Officer Chris Walk heard a

radio call of a hit-and-run in the 1300 block of Adams Avenue

involving a gray or silver van, last seen headed east on Baker

Street.

Walk connected the van to both calls and began the chase on Costa

Mesa surface streets, Santee said.

Walk, later joined by two Costa Mesa patrol cars, a canine unit

and a traffic sergeant, followed the speeding van into Huntington

Beach, back through Costa Mesa and into Newport Beach, finally

arresting Arris at 4:40 p.m., Santee said.

“We requested assistance when we went in other cities, but we were

in and out so fast it never really made a difference,” Santee said.

The Anaheim Police Department helicopter helped the trailing

patrol cars because the local Airborne Law Enforcement Unit that

Costa Mesa and Newport Beach police departments use was down for

refueling.

Police were advised by the van’s owners that it had very little

fuel, so authorities bided their time and patiently pursued the

renegade van, Santee said.

The chase reached speeds of 60 to 65 mph on surface streets. The

driver ran his fair share of red lights and drove into oncoming

traffic at times, Santee said. At one point, Arris allegedly drove on

the sidewalk, at a snail’s pace, to avoid capture. No injuries or

collisions were reported, Santee said.

“We were really fortunate,” he said. “Plus, this all happened just

before the rush-hour traffic, when traffic really starts to get

heavy.”

When the risk was greatest, the fuel in the van ran out, and the

madcap pursuit ended.

“They chased that guy all over the place,” Costa Mesa Police Lt.

Dale Birney said.

Police chases are not common in the area, officials said, but

Monday’s was the second in two days. An early morning chase on Sunday

ended when the driver lost control on the MacArthur Boulevard offramp

of the San Diego Freeway and crashed into a tree. The 36-year-old man

suffered a fractured skull and bled to death, officials said.

After the van had run out of gas, Arris was taken into custody

without further incident. He was booked at Costa Mesa City Jail and

transferred to Orange County Jail, where he is being held on $10,000

bail, Santee said.

* LOLITA HARPER writes columns Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and

covers culture and the arts. She may be reached at (949) 574-4275 or

by e-mail at lolita.harper@latimes.com.