Westminster Driver Arrested After Long, High-Speed Chase

A Westminster man led police on a high-speed chase--sometimes in excess of 110 m.p.h.--across five Orange County cities and as far as the Los Angeles International Airport late Thursday night, police said Friday.

Police arrested Ronald Miller, 22, after almost an hourlong pursuit that began about 11:20 p.m. in Huntington Beach and proceeded through Fountain Valley, Garden Grove, Westminster and Stanton before continuing on the San Diego Freeway, Huntington Beach Police Sgt. Ed Deuel said.

The chase began when police tried to stop a motorist at the intersection of Beach Boulevard and Warner Avenue for driving without headlights, Huntington Beach Police Sgt. Darrell Kloop said. Instead of stopping, the driver sped off, trailed by officers who were soon joined by other patrol units as they roared from city to city, Kloop said.

When the caravan reached LAX, the motorist turned around and headed back toward Orange County, police said.

Upon reaching Westminster, the driver collided with a parked car and took off on foot, hiding in a residential backyard, police said. They said they found Miller there and arrested him without incident.

Miller was taken to Orange County Jail and booked on suspicion of reckless driving, evading arrest, carrying a loaded firearm, hit-and-run and numerous traffic warrants, Sgt. Deuel said. Miller had a gun in his car, as well as small amounts of what police believe to be marijuana and cocaine, Kloop said.