Wanted Man Flees Police; Later, He Is Found Hanging

A 22-year-old Huntington Beach man wanted for child molestation apparently hanged himself from a tree in Newport Beach early Saturday after he eluded police following a routine traffic stop, according to police and coroner’s office spokesmen.

The man, whose identity has not been released, was pulled over on Irvine Avenue about 3:30 a.m. by Officer Gary Milius, who noticed he had an expired registration on his Florida license plates.

When the driver produced no identification, Milius radioed to check on him and the vehicle. Milius was told that a California “no-bail” felony warrant for child molestation had been issued for the man, Lt. Jim Carson said.

Carson said the man then fled the scene on foot near Irvine Avenue and Holiday Road. Additional Newport Beach officers, assisted by Costa Mesa police, searched the residential area without success.

At about 7 a.m., a resident found the man hanging from a tree in her back yard, Carson said. Coroner’s investigators pronounced him dead at the scene.

The radio communication between Milius and the dispatcher was conducted in code. Police said the man could not have known what was said unless he was familiar with police code.

“I guess he knew there was a warrant on him and that it would come up in the system,” Carson said.