IN BRIEF

-- Greg Risling

Costa Mesa police are looking for a man they say nearly ran down a police

officer in South Coast Plaza after he allegedly attempted to use a stolen

credit card.

Police said the man managed to avoid hitting the officer while

erratically driving his car in the shopping center. The incident occurred

around 4:30 p.m. when officers responded to a call by South Coast Plaza

security about a potential credit card fraud at Macy’s department store.

The man was attempting to use the stolen credit card and was denied by a

store employee, police said. The man left Macy’s and went to where his

car was parked.

Officers and the store’s loss prevention agents searched the parking lot

and eventually found the man. A plainclothes officer asked the man to get

out of the car. He responded by accelerating past the officer, police

said.

The officer jumped over a divider to intercept the car again. With his

gun pointed and his badge displayed, the officer tried to stop the

motorist. Police believe the man saw the officer’s gun because he ducked

below the dashboard and kept driving.

The officer jumped out of harm’s way and wasn’t injured. Police said the

motorist was last seen weaving in and out of traffic toward the San Diego

Freeway.

He is described as Asian, between the ages of 30 and 40, of medium build

with short black hair and dark eyes. He was last seen wearing black with

a white-collar shirt. He was driving a 1997 light green Lexus with

license plate number 3TOF217.