Two charged in 1969 murder of toddler...

Two charged in 1969 murder of toddler

The Orange County District Attorney’s office has filed charges

against a woman suspected of killing her daughter in Huntington Beach

35 years ago.

Donna J. Prentice, 35, of Genoa, Wis., was charged with the murder

of Michelle Pulsifer, her 3-year-old daughter, in 1969. James Michael

Kent, 62, of Lakemoor, Ill., was also charged with murder. The pair

lived together on Tigerfish Circle when Michelle disappeared,

according to the Orange County District Attorney’s office. No missing

persons report was ever filed.

Michelle disappeared sometime around July 4, 1969. Prentice had

another child, and Kent had a son of his own. Days after Michelle

went missing, Prentice and Kent reportedly moved to Illinois with

their other children, who were told Michelle could not fit in the car

and would live with relatives in California.

Investigators in the District Attorney’s office believe Michelle

was murdered in her Huntington Beach home, District Atty. Tony

Rackauckas said in a statement. Investigators took over the case from

a private detective and spent more than one year on the case,

traveling to Florida, Illinois, Wisconsin and Las Vegas.

Prentice decided to fight extradition and her next hearing is

scheduled for Sept. 22 in Wisconsin. Kent’s arraignment has been set

for Sept. 10. Both could face terms of five years to life in prison

if convicted.

High-speed chase ends in a standstill

A driver who led Huntington Beach police on a high-speed chase

down Pacific Coast Highway was arrested Saturday after he got stuck

in traffic, police said.

Thomas Wiegandt, 39, of Pasadena, was arrested on suspicion of

felony evasion of a police officer and driving under the influence,

Sgt. Dave Bunetta said. He reportedly sped away from police, who

tried to pull him over at about 10:45 p.m. Saturday after police saw

him spinning his tires and fishtailing in his Volkswagen Passat near

the exit of Huntington City Beach.

Police on two motorcycles, aided by the Costa Mesa police

helicopter, chased Wiegandt, who drove at speeds greater than 100

mph, Bunetta said. He also drove on the wrong side of the road and

turned off his lights while speeding down the highway. The chase

headed into Newport Beach, where Wiegandt got caught up in traffic

near Pacific Coast Highway and Riverside Drive.

Police were able to walk up to Wiegandt’s car and arrest him,

Bunetta said. No injuries or crashes resulted from the chase.

Sobriety checkpoint results in 11 arrests

Police arrested 11 motorists on suspicion of driving under the

influence at a sobriety checkpoint over the weekend.

The checkpoint was set up from 9 p.m. Saturday to 3 a.m. Sunday

near the intersection of Beach Boulevard and Blaylock Drive, police

said. About 1,500 cars passed through the checkpoint, and 360 drivers

were stopped and screened. In addition to the drivers arrested,

police also cited two people for driving with a suspended license.

Police were happy to have 11 allegedly intoxicated drivers off the

road, Sgt. Dave Bunetta said, and hoped the checkpoint reminded

drivers to stay sober.

“We’re trying to get a message out, a positive message, for people

to be more responsible when they’re driving,” Bunetta said.