Man arrested after Chevy flips during police chase

A car pursuit early Tuesday led Huntington Beach police to chase down a suspect through Newport Beach and Costa Mesa, where they finally rolled his Chevrolet Blazer onto its roof and arrested him, according to police.

Driver James Edward Spurgin, 49, of Orange, was rushed to Western Medical Center in Santa Ana. His injuries were not life threatening, and he is expected to be released into police custody soon, Huntington Beach Lt. Dave Bunetta said.

The chase began at 12:30 a.m. when officers saw Spurgin’s car violating traffic law, Bunetta said. They pulled the car over at Victoria Street and Adams Avenue, just over the border into Costa Mesa, he said. As an officer started talking to the driver, he sped away, police said.

Police chased the Chevy for a few minutes through Newport Beach and Costa Mesa before they had a clear shot at a “PIT” maneuver at Fair Drive east of Fairview Road — standard procedure in a chase, ramming its side rear to cause it to spin out of control.

The man was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, evading a police officer, and possession of narcotic paraphernalia, according to police. He is expected to be arraigned in the next few days.

— Michael Alexander