LOCAL : Escape Ends in Westlake Village

Two escapees from a California Youth Authority facility in Camarillo were captured after they assaulted a woman, stole her car and led sheriff’s deputies on a pursuit through Thousand Oaks and Westlake Village, authorities said today.

Mark Laughlin, 18, of Buena Park and a 17-year-old Burbank youth escaped from the medium-security Ventura School about 4 p.m. Sunday, said CYA spokesman Tak Watanabe. Shortly afterward, the Oxnard woman was assaulted and her car was stolen, he said.

The two teens were taken into custody about 10:30 p.m. Sunday in Westlake Village after they crashed the stolen vehicle into a Ventura County Sheriff’s Department car, said Lt. Dick Purnell.

Purnell said Deputy Bill Irby spotted the stolen car in Thousand Oaks and chased it through that city and neighboring Westlake Village. The youths had tried to elude deputies by cutting through Bennett Park on Village Center Road but crashed into the deputy’s car, Purnell said.

Irby was treated at Los Robles Regional Medical Center in Thousand Oaks for injuries to his neck, authorities said. He was not hospitalized.

The youths, who were serving terms for auto theft, face felony charges of assault, auto theft and escaping from an institution, Watanabe said. He said authorities have not yet determined how they escaped.

The 17-year-old is in Ventura County Juvenile Hall, and Laughlin is being held at Oxnard City Jail.