2 Arrested After 60-Mile Chase

Two men led police on a 60-mile car chase that reached speeds of about 100 m.p.h. and stretched from La Mesa to just south of the San Onofre immigration checkpoint, authorities said Tuesday.

La Mesa Police Officer Joyce Juhl saw a suspicious-looking vehicle parked at the Grossmont Center shopping mall at 7:10 p.m. Monday, police said. As the car left the parking lot, a dispatcher confirmed that the car had been stolen, and Juhl attempted to stop the vehicle.

Before she could do so, the car left the lot and entered Interstate 8, and the occupants tossed out a stolen checkbook and a wallet containing a false driver’s license, police said.

The car left the freeway and then got back on; the chase then accelerated, with California Highway Patrol officers and a helicopter unit joining in the pursuit.

The car finally pulled over near the San Onofre checkpoint, where Marvin D. Porter, 36, of Lakeside and Stanley E. Parker, 29, of San Diego were arrested. Also in the car were two children, ages 2 and 9, police said.

Porter was being held on suspicion of using stolen checks and altered identification to purchase a videocassette recorder. Parker, the driver, was arrested on suspicion of auto theft, evading police, child endangerment, possession of stolen property and possession of hypodermic syringes.

“The passengers apparently were screaming at the driver to stop, but he decided to make a run for it,” Police Lt. Al Joslyn said.

Although police try to avoid such chases, given the light traffic at the time “we didn’t feel uncomfortable with it continuing,” Joslyn said.