20-Mile Chase Ends With Arrest of Man

A Woodland Hills man was arrested after a two-hour crime spree that began in Santa Clarita, continued in Palmdale and Lancaster and finally ended in a car crash in Northridge, the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department said Wednesday.

Michael Donahue, 32, began a series of robberies Tuesday at a Thrifty’s drugstore in the 19100 block of Soledad Canyon Road near Whites Canyon Road in Santa Clarita at about 7 p.m., Deputy Donna Levi said. But he dropped the goods in the parking lot as he fled to his car, she said.

Donahue then attempted to steal 59 cartons of cigarettes at a Lucky’s grocery store in the 1000 block of East Avenue J in Lancaster but was prevented by a clerk, Levi said. He then went to a Thrifty’s drugstore in the 200 block of East Palmdale Boulevard near 3rd Street East in Palmdale, where he pushed a female clerk out of his way as he fled out the door, Levi said.

A sheriff’s deputy saw a car matching the description of the one used by the robber as it was headed south on the Antelope Valley Freeway near Red Rover Mine Road. The pursuit began when the driver would not pull over, Levi said. Other deputies and Los Angeles police joined the chase, which ended more than 20 miles away when Donahue’s vehicle rear-ended another car on Winnetka Avenue near Strathern Street at about 9:30 p.m., Levi said.

No one was injured in the accident.

Donahue was arrested on charges of robbery and was being held in lieu of $10,000 bail, Levi said.