Car Theft Suspect Rams Police Cars, Leads Officers On Chase In OC

GARDEN GROVE, CA — A 28-year-old suspected car thief was taken into custody after a pursuit Sunday that damaged a pair of police vehicles.

Around 1:50 p.m. Sunday, officers observed a black Land Rover near the intersection of Harbor and Garden Grove boulevards, according to the Garden Grove Police Department. The SUV matched the description of a vehicle stolen during a commercial burglary earlier in the day.

When police tried to stop the vehicle, the suspect immediately drove away, leading to a pursuit through several cities, according to the GGPD. The driver intentionally rammed two police vehicles before finally stopping on the Riverside (91) Freeway east of Imperial Highway in Anaheim.

A police armored vehicle was used to prevent the man vehicle from fleeing again and after several unsuccessful attempts to make the man exit the SUV, a K9 unit was used.

Jonathan McLaurin of Santa Ana was then taken into custody and transported to a local hospital for treatment of injuries acquired during his arrest. He was then to be booked into Orange County Jail.