Suspect arrested after all-night swim to avoid Coronado police

SAN DIEGO -- It is not unusual for criminal suspects to attempt to evade arrest by running or driving away from the approaching constabulary.

Swimming away, that’s unusual.

So when a drug suspect decided Sunday night to run into the ocean near the Hotel del Coronado and swim away, Coronado police had to improvise.

Soon officers, divers, police dogs and a helicopter were deployed. Still, the man kept swimming, initially heading south toward Silver Strand Beach, two miles away, before reversing course.

All night and early into the morning, the suspect swam, stopping occasionally to hurl an epithet at the officers, authorities said.

Finally, exhausted and shirtless, he emerged at about 5 a.m. on the beach near where the aquatic oddity had begun. He was arrested and booked into county jail.

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tony.perry@latimes.com