Suspect evades officer, is found in helicopter pursuit

Costa Mesa police called in a helicopter and extra squad cars to catch a driver who fled the police early Friday, police said.

Carlos Ampuero, 26, of Lake Forest, failed to stop when an officer tried to pull him over for driving erratically and having an expired registration, police said. Ampuero side-swiped a parked car and drove for more than a mile, losing the officer who initially attempted to pull him over, police said.

A helicopter was called and they got back on the trail, police said. Ampuero abandoned his car on the 900 block of Oak Street and ran away, but officers caught up with him at 1:45 a.m. and arrested him, police said. Glass didn’t know where the pursuit started.

Ampuero was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, evading police and hit and run.

— Alan Blank