Paul Clinton
BURBANK -- After leading Burbank police officers on three-hour pursuit
in which he covered much of Southern California in a stolen Burbank
Public Works Department pickup truck, a suspect was taken into custody
Friday afternoon in San Diego.
Nearing the Mexican border, Erich Martirosiao, a Fresno resident whose
age was not immediately known, was arrested by California Highway Patrol
officers who bumped the truck using a technique called the "kick move,"
forcing him to spin into the center divider of the Santa Ana (5) Freeway.
Martirosiao was turned over to Burbank police and brought back to the
city to be booked on a trio of felonies -- grand theft auto, evading
arrest and reckless driving, police said.
The pursuit began shortly after 1 p.m., when Martirosiao allegedly
hopped into the white Chevy truck while it was parked on San Fernando
Boulevard near the Golden State Freeway onramp. A city crew had parked
the truck -- its engine running to power the lighted arrow sign bolted to
its bed -- to mark road work.
The man could be seen wearing a blue sleeveless shirt and smoking
cigarettes as several television networks interrupted programming to show
the chase live. Driving erratically at times, he worked his way through a
network of freeways, ultimately heading south toward Mexico.
The truck's arrow sign and a yellow light atop the cab continued to
flash during the chase.
Police attempted to contact the man on the truck's cell phone, but
were unsuccessful. The truck had a full tank of gasoline, between 21 and
25 gallons, when the pursuit began, Burbank Police Lt. Jose Duran said.
Police arrested the suspect at 4:15 p.m. near the Gilman Drive offramp
in San Diego. The truck was not heavily damaged, authorities said.
