Laguna Beach detectives arrested a 33-year-old Newport Beach woman on July 10, charged with felony evasion after she fled from police officers during a routine traffic stop in Laguna Beach, authorities said.
On June 30, Laguna Beach officers stopped a green Mercedes on South Coast Highway at Bluebird Canyon Drive regarding a simple California Vehicle Code violation.
Police said that after talking to Melissa Haley at the driver’s side door, she was uncooperative. When officers asked her to exit the vehicle for further investigation, they said she fled in her Mercedes and drove southbound on South Coast Highway into Dana Point, then onto Interstate 5 northbound.
LBPD officers handed over the pursuit to the California Highway Patrol when Haley reached Interstage 5, where she was driving recklessly and at an excessive speed, authorities said.
The Highway Patrol officers chased the vehicle into Los Angeles County before calling off the pursuit.
After investigating Haley’s whereabouts, Laguna Beach detectives found her near an auto repair shop in Costa Mesa. She was placed under arrest for suspicion of felony evading and later transported to Orange County Jail.
