Homicide Suspect Flees; Pursuit From OC To San Diego County

LOS ALAMITOS, CA — A homicide suspect was arrested Tuesday following a pursuit on Interstate 5 that lasted over an hour and stretched from Anaheim to Solana Beach, authorities said.

Officers searching for a homicide suspect attempted to stop a driver around 7:35 a.m. on Magnolia Avenue near Interstate 5, Anaheim Police Officer Amy Whitlock said. The driver allegedly failed to stop and entered southbound I- 5 lanes.

California Highway Patrol officers were called in to assist with the pursuit around 7:40 a.m. and continued pursuing the man driving a gray Honda Accord, CHP Officer Jim Bettencourt said.

The man continued on I-5 through the Oceanside area, reaching speeds as high as 80 mph, Bettencourt said.

As officers pursued, the man encountered heavy traffic in Encinitas and used the center median to avoid traffic.

CHP officers deployed a spike strip around 8:30 a.m. near Leucadia Boulevard, but it was not immediately clear if the vehicle ran into the spike strip, Bettencourt said.

The man pulled over on the right shoulder south of Via De La Valle, got out of the car and attempted to flee on foot up an embankment off the right side of the freeway, Bettencourt said.

The CHP blocked all traffic on southbound I-5 near Via De La Valle during the foot chase, he said

Officers chased the man, whose name was not immediately available, up the embankment and took him into custody without incident around 8:45 a.m., Bettencourt said.

This report will be updated when charges against the suspect are filed.

City News Service, Patch Editor Ashley Ludwig contributed to this report.

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