SOLANA BEACH — A homicide suspect was arrested today 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 at about 7:35 a.m. on Magnolia Street and Lincoln Avenue, Anaheim Police Sgt. Jeff Mundy said.
The suspect, whose name was not immediately released, was wanted for what investigators suspect was a gang-related shooting on Christmas Eve in the 500 block of North Sabina Street, Mundy said.
The victim of that shooting was taken to an area hospital, where he lingered until succumbing to his wounds Monday morning, Mundy said.
“When officers attempted to contact (the suspect) he fled and a pursuit ensued, which went southbound on (the Santa Ana Freeway) to Solana Beach, where the suspect abandoned his car and attempted to flee on foot, but officers chased him and took him into custody without incident,” Mundy said.
California Highway Patrol officers were called in to assist with the pursuit about 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.
