ANAHEIM : Police Chase 2 Around 3 Freeways

Two people in a stolen car led police on a chase Tuesday on three freeways, driving the wrong way twice, before giving up without a fight at a motel’s parking lot, authorities said.

Driver Gabriel Algria Chavez, a 19-year-old transient, and his passenger, a 17-year-old from Anaheim whose name was not released because of his age, were arrested shortly after 11 a.m. on suspicion of auto theft and felony evasion of officers, police Sgt. Frank Van De Weerd said.

Police had surrounded them at the Motel 6, 1440 N. State College Blvd. No one was hurt, Van De Weerd said.

The chase began a mile away from the motel about 10:15 a.m., near Miraloma Avenue and Blue Gum Street, when a woman reported seeing her 1981 Chevrolet Monte Carlo being driven by a thief, authorities said.

The tan car then headed west on La Palma Avenue, north on East Street and got on the eastbound Riverside Freeway, Van De Weerd said. The suspects next got on the northbound Orange Freeway, but after a while switched direction, driving south against northbound traffic.

They then exited onto Yorba Linda Boulevard going east, which turned into Weir Canyon Boulevard, where the two got back onto the westbound Riverside Freeway. The suspects, at times going up to 100 m.p.h., changed to the southbound Costa Mesa Freeway and drove into Santa Ana, police said.

The California Highway Patrol then took over the chase and followed the car into Santa Ana, where it turned around again and headed north against southbound traffic on the Costa Mesa Freeway, CHP Officer Angel Johnson said.

The Monte Carlo again went west on the Riverside Freeway and exited onto northbound State College Boulevard. The chase ended at the Motel 6 near Via Burton Street, she said.

The two suspects are not related and did not have weapons, Van De Weerd said.