A 30-year-old Poway man was arrested Sunday on suspicion of stealing a San Diego County Sheriff's Department vehicle and leading authorities on a 23-mile, 38-minute chase, the Sheriff's Department said.Sean Webber was booked into county jail on charges of vehicle theft and evading arrest.
Webber allegedly stole a sheriff's vehicle that was being used by a senior volunteer assigned to provide traffic control at the Tour de Poway bicycle event in the city of Poway.
When he refused a deputy's demand to stop, the chase was on. Cars from the Sheriff's Department, San Diego Police Department and California Highway Patrol chased Webber as he drove through Poway and toward the coast, said Sheriff's Sgt. Daniel Vengler.
The Sheriff's Department helicopter followed the pursuit, ending with Webber caught in a cul-de-sac in the Carmel Valley neighborhood of San Diego, Vengler said. He had driven through a fence to attempt to escape but then surrendered.
"Webber jumped out of the slow-moving car and surrendered to the deputies and officers," Vengler said.
There were no weapons in the car, the Sheriff's Department said. No motive for the theft was revealed.
