Theft Suspect Takes a Turn for the Worse
It started as your average police chase.
Santa Ana Sgt. Joe Esther pulled over a man on suspicion of committing a traffic violation on South Wood Street shortly after 6 p.m. Thursday. The man fled. The officer pursued.
The car, police say, had been reported stolen.
Esther chased the man for four minutes through rush-hour traffic as other police joined in. Then, they realized that the suspect was heading straight for the Orange County Jail.
In fact, he drove right down into the jail, into the underground lot where the detectives park. There, he was promptly cornered and arrested.
“I guess he knew where he was going,” Santa Ana Lt. Earl Porter said.
Isino Tauauli, 34, of Long Beach was booked on suspicion of possession of stolen property and evading arrest, a felony, Porter said. He was being held Thursday night, of course, in Orange County Jail.
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