80-Mile, High-Speed Chase Gets Driver Home, Not Free

A Costa Mesa man led police officers on an 85-m.p.h. chase through Orange and Los Angeles counties and was arrested early Saturday when he stopped in front of his own home, authorities said.

James Bortel Davis, 29, was held on suspicion of felony evading arrest and was being held Saturday at the Huntington Beach Jail in lieu of $10,000 bail.

“He basically drove in one giant circle and came back to his house,” said Huntington Beach Police Sgt. Mike Willett.

Six police cars and a helicopter closely trailed Davis for more than 80 miles, authorities said. There were no traffic accidents or injuries in the pursuit.

At 12:20 a.m., two officers in a patrol car saw Davis walking near Newland Street and Heil Avenue and wanted to talk to him because the area is known for chronic drug problems, Willett said.

As the officers got out of their car to question Davis, Willett said, “he just ran to his van, locked the doors and sped up Newland Avenue with his lights off,” he said.

During the chase, Davis led police to the northbound San Diego Freeway, which he entered at Beach Boulevard, and drove into Los Angeles County on the northbound San Gabriel River Freeway, Willett said.

The motorist then switched to the eastbound Pomona Freeway. Next, he headed south on the Orange Freeway, east on the Riverside Freeway, then south on the southbound Costa Mesa Freeway before getting back on the San Diego Freeway.

Davis got off the freeway at Harbor Boulevard, and drove to his home on Bermuda Drive in Costa Mesa, where other Huntington police officers were waiting for him just after 1:15 a.m., Willett said.

When he got out the van, Costa Mesa police officers “tackled him as he ran toward his house,” Willett said.