3-County Car Chase Ends in Arrest

A routine traffic stop Friday morning turned into a pursuit across Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, culminating in the arrest of a man with $6,000 in traffic warrants.

Fullerton police stopped Gilbert Deleon, 26, of La Puente for defective brake lights while he and his 21-year-old passenger, Rhonda Pinedo of Placentia, were northbound on the Orange Freeway. While checking Deleon’s registration, officers discovered that he had an outstanding warrant for his arrest for an aggravated assault in West Covina and owed $6,000 in traffic warrants. But before they could make an arrest, Deleon took off.

Three Fullerton units, assisted by the California Highway Patrol, the Fontana Police Department and San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputies, as well as helicopters from the Ontario and Riverside police departments, chased the blue 1994 Mitsubishi pickup. The vehicle traveled east on the Pomona Freeway, then took surface streets to the San Bernardino Freeway, where it headed west, finally exiting into Fontana.

The driver and passenger then got out of the truck and were chased and captured by police.

During the pursuit, Deleon and Pinedo pushed a couch and a love seat out of their pickup, said Lt. Mike Maynard of Fullerton.

Police charged Deleon with felony evasion, resisting arrest and assault with a deadly weapon. Pinedo was charged with resisting arrest, possession of marijuana and assault with a deadly weapon.