At 11:53 a.m. on Monday, May 21, an Anaheim Police Department (APD) K-9 handler was on patrol in the area of Harbor Boulevard and the 91 freeway. He saw a black Toyota Camry with dark tinted windows and ran the license plate, which came back as a “lost or stolen plate.” A common tactic with car thieves is to steal a plate off a similar car and put it on the stolen car. Based on this, the K-9 officer attempted an investigatory stop on the Camry. It immediately fled and a pursuit ensued. The pursuit traveled on city streets westbound on La Palma for several miles, all the way to Beach Boulevard, before entering the eastbound 91 freeway at Beach Boulevard. The driver sped up to over 100 miles per hour initially, but then slowed to 60-70 miles per hour in light traffic.
APD units pursued with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department Duke 1 helicopter overhead. California Highway Patrol (CHP) joined the pursuit at the 91 and Euclid, and APD ultimately relinquished complete control to CHP at the Orange County/Riverside County line. The pursuit continued for another two-plus hours before the driver stopped in the 3400 block of Grapevine in Jurupa Valley. The male driver ran from the vehicle. A female passenger got out of the suspect vehicle and into a passerby’s car. That car drove about 50 yards before an individual announced that he was videotaping. The female suspect got out and got down on the ground as units were arriving.
Riverside County Sheriff’s Office set a perimeter and found the male driver at the rear of a building where he was taken into custody. He was under the influence of drugs and was transported to the hospital for a medical evaluation. There was no use of force.
APD units responded to the termination point and took custody of the two arrestees.
It was later announced on APD’s Twitter page that the suspects had been identified as 19-year-old Cecelia Martinez of Santa Ana and 22-year-old Christian Beltran of Anaheim. The driver (Beltran) was booked for felony evading, driving a stolen car, possession of stolen property and warrant. The passenger (Martinez) was booked for possession of stolen property. The investigation is ongoing.
