Suspected Car Thieves Arrested After Chase
Two suspected car thieves led police on a high-speed freeway chase Thursday that ended in Orange when they crashed at an offramp, police said.
William Arredondo, 19, and Cornell Montel Gardner, 22, both of Moreno Valley, were arrested on suspicion of stealing a 1987 Ford Thunderbird from a Costa Mesa apartment complex and then evading police, Sgt. Tom Curtis said.
The suspects drove off in the car after a Costa Mesa woman left it running in her carport in the 100 block of West Wilson Street about 5:45 a.m., police said.
About 15 minutes later, a police officer spotted the Thunderbird on the Costa Mesa Freeway. Curtis said the suspects tried to evade police by leaving the freeway at the eastbound Chapman Avenue exit. The driver lost control of the car and rolled over.
The two suspects were treated at the Western Medical Center-Santa Ana for minor injuries and held on suspicion of car theft.
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