Couple Arrested After Motorcycle Pursuit Identified, Chase Ends with Kiss

A Los Angeles County couple was behind bars in Vista today after allegedly leading California Highway Patrol and Los Angeles police officers on a lengthy southbound freeway chase that ended when their motorcycle ran out of gas near Camp Pendleton.

Sylmar residents Gabriel Barajas, 48, and Stacey Veronica, 49, were arrested on suspicion of resisting arrest along southbound Interstate near Las Pulgas Road Sunday afternoon, according to the California Highway Patrol. Barajas also faces a charge of evading a peace officer, said CHP Officer Jim Bettencourt.

Around 1:45 p.m. Sunday, Barajas was driving a 1993 Honda motorcycle with Veronica as a passenger in the Newhall area of Los Angeles County's Santa Clarita Valley when he failed to comply with the orders of CHP officers who wanted to pull him over for speeding, Bettencourt said.

An ensuing pursuit lasted about an hour, covering more than 100 miles at speeds of 75 to 95 miles per hour.

The pursuit ended near Las Pulgas Road when the motorcycle ran out of gas and the couple got off the bike and kissed before surrendering to authorities, Bettencourt said.

— City News Service