LAGUNA BEACH : 3 Arrested After Chases by Police

Three people were arrested over the weekend in two separate accidents involving drivers who wouldn’t pull over for police in heavy holiday traffic along Coast Highway.

After a 10-mile chase that reached speeds up to 65 m.p.h., officers Saturday arrested an Anaheim man wanted in connection with stalking his ex-wife, police said.

And on Sunday, pursuing officers quickly gave up trying to pull over a suspected drunk driver in bumper-to-bumper traffic near Main Beach, but the suspect hit several parked cars anyway, authorities said.

In Saturday’s incident, Alan Curtis Zack, 48, was arrested after an eight-minute chase from North Laguna Beach to Corona del Mar, said Laguna Beach Police Sgt. Don Barney.

Zack was arrested on suspicion of evading arrest and violating a restraining order.

He was also charged with felony stalking and two counts of burglary in connection with incidents involving his ex-wife, Barney said.

Zack was being held Monday on $250,000 bail at the Orange County Jail, Barney said.

In Sunday’s incident, police received a call shortly after 5:30 p.m. reporting that a man was standing in the middle of a street directing traffic, Laguna Beach Police Sgt. Doris Weaver said.

An officer arrived just in time to see the man, who had apparently just hit a parked car, getting back into his car, which was pulling a trailer loaded with various pieces of equipment, Weaver said.

Although the officer put on his flashing lights, it wasn’t until the man had hit another parked car and traveled several blocks that he even noticed the pursuing police car, Weaver said.

But instead of pulling over, the driver allegedly tried to get away, reaching speeds of 35 to 45 m.p.h. in the heavy traffic, Weaver said.

About four blocks later, the officer pulled back and turned off his lights and siren, Weaver said.

At about the same time, the driver struck a van that was stopped in traffic, Weaver said.

The van caromed into two more cars. In all, six cars were damaged in the incident, Weaver said.

Gregory Eimer, 43 of Cedar Glen, was arrested on suspicion of felony drunk driving and evading arrest, Weaver said. Officers had to use the “jaws of life” to get Eimer and a dog from the car.

A passenger, Alex Cruz, a 39-year-old homeless man, was also arrested on suspicion of being intoxicated while riding in a vehicle.

Both men were treated for minor injuries before being taken into custody.

The driver of the van, Donna Gourley, 34, of Laguna Beach, was also treated for minor head injuries, Weaver said.