2 Arrested in Vehicle Chase That Began in Westminster

Two San Diego men were arrested after leading Westminster police on a 100-m.p.h. chase that ended in San Diego early Friday.

Dwane Garrett, 26, and Edward Montenegro, 27, were taken into custody without incident on suspicion of auto theft and robbery after a pursuit along city streets and several freeways, police said.

Garrett and Montenegro, who allegedly stole a 1985 Nissan at knifepoint in San Diego on Thursday, were being held in that city, Westminster Police Sgt. Jack Davidson said.

Another car was stolen shortly before that in Garden Grove, police said, adding that it was later found without license plates in Coronado.

Officers in Westminster saw two men in the stolen Nissan just after 10 p.m. Thursday, police said. The Nissan had license plates from the car stolen in Garden Grove, according to police. The officers tried to pull the Nissan over, but the driver sped off.

While following the stolen car south on Magnolia Street in Garden Grove, the police unit collided with a second car near the Garden Grove Freeway, slightly injuring one of the officers, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The stolen vehicle wheeled onto the eastbound on-ramp of the freeway against a red light, the CHP said. The Westminster unit followed, entering the intersection of the on-ramp and Magnolia Street at 10 to 15 m.p.h., according to the Highway Patrol.

The Westminster unit collided with a northbound car, driven by Chanh Minh Pham, 22, of Garden Grove, the CHP said. One Westminster officer, passenger Gregry Jackson, was slightly injured in the collision, according to the CHP.

Aided by a helicopter, other police officers continued the pursuit onto the southbound San Diego Freeway into San Diego County.

The car thieves continued to the southbound Cabrillo Freeway.

The suspects were arrested when they stopped about 1:40 a.m. after getting into a minor accident on a city street just off the Cabrillo Freeway, police said.