Huntington Beach police arrest felon and accomplice after search prompts shelter in place at two schools

Huntington Beach police arrested a wanted felon and accomplice Friday, after a high-speed chase and subsequent search forced a shelter-in-place order at two local schools.

Clayton Lohman of Florida, 27, was booked on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a firearm, felony evading, petty theft, conspiracy to commit a crime, delaying or obstructing an officer and possession of a loaded firearm in public. Kurstin Pulliam of Texas, 28, was booked on suspicion of conspiracy to commit a crime and possession of a controlled substance without a prescription.

Officers responded to the area of Yorktown Avenue and Goldenwest Street at about 8:45 a.m. Friday after someone reported a leaf blower theft from a gardener’s truck, according to an HBPD news release issued Friday afternoon. The suspects had fled, but a description of their vehicle and partial license plate were provided.

About 30 minutes later, an officer attempted an enforcement stop, but the vehicle fled and a pursuit began. It was canceled as the chase approached downtown due to the suspect’s erratic driving.

The vehicle was later found abandoned, but witnesses alerted officers to the direction the suspects had gone. For safety reasons, Dwyer Middle and Smith Elementary schools sheltered in place while police searched.

After a containment was set up, officers located and arrested the suspects. A loaded firearm and the leaf-blower were recovered from the vehicle.

Police said that Lohman’s criminal history included prior arrests in Florida for leaf blower theft and an active warrant for narcotics in Texas.