Orange County Man Arrested for Allegedly Terrorizing Pedestrians with Car, Leading Police on Pursuit
A Santa Ana man was recently arrested after allegedly using his vehicle to terrorize pedestrians near a local school, then leading police on a pursuit.
According to a media release via Nixle by Santa Ana PD, on Tuesday afternoon, the Santa Ana Police Department received multiple calls about a vehicle attempting to run over pedestrians at MacArthur Intermediate School.
Officers immediately responded to the area and found the suspect vehicle, occupied by a male adult, and attempted a traffic stop. However, the suspect did not yield and a high-speed vehicle pursuit began.
During the chase, the suspect drove into a water channel at 3000 South Flower Street, causing the vehicle to overturn and catch fire. The male then fled from officers, but he was later found hiding in a drainage tunnel within the water channel. At that point, officers took him into custody.
Police say no one was injured during the incident, but that the suspect’s motive is still unknown. Authorities are asking anyone with information on the case to contact the Santa Ana Police Department.
The suspect has been identified as Nicolas Sanudo, a 39-year-old resident of Santa Ana. He was booked at the Santa Ana jail on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and evading a peace officer.
