Suspect Loses Midnight Run Against Police

A 38-year-old burglary suspect was arrested Monday after leading authorities on a wild chase from Fountain Valley to Oceanside and back before crashing his car on the San Diego Freeway.

Police Sgt. Larry Griswold said speeds topped 115 m.p.h. during the 75-minute pursuit, which involved a Huntington Beach police helicopter unit and patrol cars from the California Highway Patrol and local police agencies.

Fountain Valley police finally arrested Edmond D. Brick of Huntington Beach at 1:17 a.m. when he lost control of his Nissan Maxima while traveling north on the San Diego Freeway, near the Magnolia Street off-ramp. Police recovered two personal computers, worth about $2,000, from the car.

Griswold said the chase began shortly before midnight when witnesses saw a man loading computer equipment into his car at the Office Club store in the 11000 block of Talbert Avenue.

When police arrived, the suspect jumped into the car and sped along a circuitous route through Fountain Valley to the southbound entrance ramp of the San Diego Freeway, off Harbor Boulevard. Griswold said officers called for assistance and chased the car onto the freeway.

In various attempts to escape authorities, Griswold said, the suspect weaved through traffic at high speeds.

“We were chasing him the whole way,” Griswold said. “When the units would catch up, he pulled away a number of times. There was traffic on the freeway, and he would go through the traffic, changing lanes repeatedly in trying to lose us.”

At points along the way to Oceanside and back, when officers lost sight of the vehicle in traffic, Griswold said, the patrol officers relied heavily on the Huntington Beach helicopter unit to keep tabs on the vehicle’s direction.

“The guy was going fast,” the police sergeant said. “Not too many people could keep up. The helicopter helped us out.”

Griswold said the vehicle left the freeway at an undetermined location in Oceanside. The pursuit resumed when the car reappeared on the freeway heading north.

By that time, patrol units from the CHP and municipal agencies along the route had joined in the pursuit.

The vehicle continued to lead officers north before running off the road and crashing near the Magnolia Street off-ramp. Police said Brick was arrested there; he did not require medical treatment.