Convicted Car Thief Charged in Wednesday's Wild Chase through Buena Park

BUENA PARK, CA -- A 25-year-old man and convicted car thief was charged Friday with leading police on a wild chase from Buena Park to Garden Grove in a stolen vehicle.

Adrian Cardenas of Santa Ana was charged with evading police, car theft and car theft with a prior conviction for stealing a vehicle and driving in the opposite lanes of traffic while eluding police, according to court records.

The chase started about 7:10 p.m., Wednesday, when Buena Park police attempted to make a routine traffic stop of a 1996 Honda Accord near Western and Orangethorpe avenues, according to Buena Park police Sgt. Mike Lovchik. Instead of pulling over, the driver hit the case and led police on a chase in the stolen vehicle through the city, onto the southbound Santa Ana (5) Freeway and off at Disney Way, where he kept going, causing multiple traffic crashes, Lovchik said.

Cardenas was accused of driving in the wrong direction at high speeds, Lovchik said.

Police were able to end the chase with a "pursuit intervention technique" at Garden Grove Boulevard and Main Street in Garden Grove, Lovchik said.

Cardenas, the driver, was arrested along with passenger Jessica Marie Morgan, 26, of Buena Park, on suspicion of possession of drug paraphernalia, Lovchik said.

-- City News Service, photo via Shutterstock