Police arrest crash suspect
Costa Mesa police arrested a 27-year-old parolee Tuesday after he reportedly caused an SUV to crash into a Chevrolet dealership off Adams Avenue, police said late Tuesday.
Jerald T. Hardcastle of Santa Ana was arrested in an unoccupied second story apartment in Pinecreek Village that he allegedly forced his way into after crashing outside the complex’ leasing office, according to a Costa Mesa Police Department news release.
About 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Hardcastle fled from police and parole agents in his red 2013 Chevrolet Silverado after they attempted to pull him over near Wilson Street and Center Way, according to the release. Authorities had been following him from around Victoria Street and Harbor Boulevard, according Lt. Bryan Glass and Greg Scott.
Authorities were investigating Hardcastle on suspicion of violating his parole, which he was on for robbery and burglary convictions.
He drove 80 mph northbound on Harbor Boulevard before cutting through an Ace Hardware parking lot then onto Peterson Place, police said.
Officers in marked cars backed off, but the Huntington Beach police helicopter followed the Silverado as it turned east on Adams Avenue, according to the release. The truck collided with a white Hyundai Santa Fe, which then crashed into Connell Chevrolet’s wall, according to police and eye witnesses.
Christian Meesa Shields, who was holding a Cash for Gold sign near Harbor Boulevard and Adams Avenue, said he saw the pursuit.
“A helicopter was circling for like 20 minutes,” he said.
The Santa Fe’s 71-year-old driver, a woman from Huntington Beach, was not injured, according to the release.
Hardcastle’s truck crashed into a tree in front of Pinecreek Village’s leasing office on Adams Avenue. He fled on foot, leaving behind his 33-year-old female passenger.
She was taken to Hoag Hospital due to pain in her neck, police said.
Hardcastle was booked into Orange County Jail in Santa Ana on charges of felony evading police, felony and misdemeanor hit-and-run and breaking into an apartment, according to Glass and the release.
