Pursuit ends in 5-vehicle crash in Costa Mesa

A woman led police on a brief high-speed chase in Costa Mesa on Saturday morning, then lost control and collided with four other vehicles, authorities said.

Five people suffered minor injuries in the crash about 10:50 a.m. at Harbor Boulevard and Harbor Center, said police Lt. Victor Bakkila.

The pursuit began after police located a vehicle that had been reported stolen traveling northbound on Harbor Boulevard at Hamilton Street and attempted to pull it over, he said.

“The vehicle fled northbound for approximately half a mile before trying to turn left at a high rate of speed at Harbor Center and colliding with some vehicles stopped southbound,”  Bakkila said.

Police arrested the driver, Destiney Nielson, 27, a parolee and resident of Costa Mesa, on suspicion of vehicle theft and DUI, he said. State officials had placed a hold on her parole, he said.

Her passenger, Jonathan Martinez, 21, also of Costa Mesa, was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia, Bakkila said.

Harbor Boulevard was shut down for about an hour while police investigated and cleared the scene.