Man Arrested for Leading Beaumont Police on Chase in Stolen Car

A San Diego man was jailed in Banning Friday, suspected of fleeing from police in a stolen car in Beaumont.

It all started on New Year's Day, when Beaumont police responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle in the area of Three Rings Ranch, according to Beaumont Police Spokeswoman Darci Mulvihill.

That vehicle-- a Honda civic reported stolen out of San Diego-- was spotted on Interstate 10 a short time later by police.

"An officer attempted to pull over the vehicle, but it failed to stop and exited the freeway at Cherry Valley Blvd," Mulvihill said.  "Officers lost sight of the vehicle and later located it unoccupied in the 1600 block of Panther Way."

CHP and sheriff's crews were called out to help in the search of the suspects, but were unsuccessful, Mulvihill said.  However, early the next morning, police had better luck.

32-year-old Oscar Torres, of San Ysidro, was taken into custody on Wednesday when a Beaumont police officer stopped to question him while doing a "pedestrian check" in the area of East 10th Street and Edgar Avenue.  During that check, he allegedly was in possession of drugs, and was arrested, according to Mulvihill.

Once in custody, the man apparently confessed to his part in the chase.

"Torres admitted to being the passenger in the stolen Honda civic," Mulvihill said in a press release Friday.

The driver of the vehicle still has not been located.

Jail records indicate Torres was being held at the Banning jail in lieu of $5,000 bail.