San Diego : 3 Charged in Robberies After Freeway Chase

Three suspects believed to be responsible for a series of armed robberies in San Diego were arrested Friday following a high-speed freeway chase that began near Tierrasanta and ended in Riverside County.

Police said Dat Tien Nguyen, 19; Parker Bixby, 30; and Sandra Hickey, 18, all said to be from Orange County, were northbound in a white Toyota van about 12:20 p.m. on Interstate 15 near Aero Drive when San Diego Police Officer Anthony Zeljeznjak tried to stop the vehicle for speeding.

According to a San Diego police report of the incident, the driver refused to pull over and a check of the license plate showed that the van had been reported stolen. Police said the van also matched the description of a vehicle used in several robberies in the San Diego area.

The vehicle continued northbound on Interstate 15, pursued by Zeljeznjak and California Highway Patrol officers at speeds that reached up to 90 m.p.h., police said. During the chase, pursuing officers said the suspects threw money and several handguns out of the speeding car. Police recovered at least two handguns.

Riverside County Sheriff’s deputies joined the chase after the suspects’ vehicle crossed into Riverside County. The suspects then veered onto westbound California 91, and the pursuit ended near Corona, when the van ran out of gas, police said.

The suspects were arrested without incident. Nguyen was charged with five counts of robbery and one count of auto theft. Bixby was charged with two counts of robbery, and Hickey was charged with four robbery counts.