Son Helps Catch Driver of Mother’s Stolen Car

A man who witnessed his mother’s car being stolen from a Saugus mini-mart jumped into his own pickup truck and chased the vehicle four miles, colliding with it once, before it broke down just as sheriff’s deputies arrived and arrested the suspect.

Alejandro Ortiz, 20, of Los Angeles was being held on suspicion of auto theft and assault with a deadly weapon, said Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Lt. Tim Peters. No one was injured.

The son, Saul Holguin of Canyon Country, had accompanied his mother, Ramona Holguin, to a mini-mart in the 16300 block of Sierra Highway. She left the keys in the ignition of her 1986 Cougar and the thief got in the car and drove off, Peters said.

Saul Holguin chased him north on Sierra Highway. Holguin swerved when the thief tried to ram his truck, but the vehicles sideswiped each other. As sheriff’s patrol cars joined in the chase, the stolen car stalled.