Vehicle Pursuit From Lake Elsinore Ends With Three Arrests

Two Lake Elsinore residents and a teenager from San Clemente were arrested Wednesday after a vehicle pursuit.

At around 7:25 a.m. August 1, a Lake Elsinore Police Department motorcycle officer spotted a grey Honda Civic in the 32000 block of Riverside Drive, authorities said. A records check on the license plate showed that the Civic was reported stolen in Capistrano Beach July 29. The officer attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver accelerated in an attempt to flee and a pursuit started.

“The driver of the stolen vehicle then proceeded up the Ortega Highway toward the Orange County line, but then doubled back toward the city of Lake Elsinore and subsequently abandoned the stolen vehicle on a local Forest Road,” authorities said in a press release. “Officers observed three suspects flee the Honda Civic into a dense brush near the intersection of Grand Avenue and Toft Drive.”

A perimeter was established by responding officers, and a canine unit was called. One suspect surrendered, but the other two did not; after a brief struggle with the police service dog, the second suspect was taken into custody, and the third gave up without incident, authorities said.

Guillermo Gonzalez, 30, of Lake Elsinore was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon, vehicle theft, possession of stolen property, felony evading, and driving under the influence of a controlled substance; Luis Acosta, 22, of Lake Elsinore, was arrested for conspiracy to commit a felony offense, possession of stolen property, and for a misdemeanor warrant; and Candy Lopez, 18, of San Clemente, was arrested for conspiracy to commit a felony offense and possession of stolen property.

Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to call the Lake Elsinore Police Department at 951-245-3300.