Laguna man arrested after chase A Laguna...

Laguna man arrested after chase

A Laguna Beach man was arrested Sunday morning after reportedly

striking a police officer, crashing his truck and injuring a driver

at the end of a chase, officials said.

Bruce Steven Kirkpatrick Jr., 33, was arrested on suspicion of

battery against a police officer, evasion of a police officer,

obstructing a police officer and on a felony warrant for a parole

violation.

A police officer found Kirkpatrick inside a trash bin at the

Sav-On on South Coast Highway. A scuffle ensued after the officer

approached Kirkpatrick, who knocked the officer to the ground with a

blow to the neck, Sgt. Greg Bartz said. Kirkpatrick then ran into his

Ford F250 and drove off.

The officer pursued Kirkpatrick south into Dana Point, where

Kirkpatrick collided with another vehicle. The other motorist was

injured and received stitches in the forehead, police said.

After the crash, Kirkpatrick ran out of his truck and was chased

by the officer and an Orange County Sheriff’s deputy. He was arrested

at 7:08 a.m. near the intersection of Pacific Coast Highway and

Golden Lantern Lane. Neither Kirkpatrick nor the officer were injured

in the chase or the fight, Bartz said.

-- Andrew Edwards