Alleged Car Thief Nabbed After Chase

A car theft began in Rancho Santa Margarita and ended four cities later with the arrest of a 20-year-old man in Tustin, thanks in part to the subscription tracking and communications service OnStar.

According to the blotter of the Orange County Sheriff's Department, the incident that ended in the fourth arrest in the past year of Javier Asuncion Hernandez-Bertschy began late Tuesday night on Brisa del Lago.

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A Rancho Santa Margarita resident made a late night 9-1-1 call to report he had just seen someone steal his vehicle from his condominium garage. The victim, who saw the car drive away, indicated he must have left the car open with the keys inside of his dark gray 2012 Chevrolet Camaro.

The Camaro was tracked through Mission Viejo and Lake Forest before accessing northbound Interstate 5 from El Toro Road, where OnStar indicated the vehicle illegally used the HOV lane—though that might ultimately be one of Hernandez-Bertschy's smaller problems.

The California Highway Patrol picked up the chase and ran a traffic break. With law enforcement vehicles near the Camaro and OnStar receiving confirmation it had the right vehicle in its crosshairs, it took over the chase. It remotely began flashing the lights on the Camaro and slowing the car through its Stolen Vehicle Assistance service. 

OnStar indicated it couldn't bring the car to a complete stop, but the vehicle—which reached at least 71 mph at one point—slowed at OnStar's command and the Camaro began yielding as it made its way to the right-hand shoulder. Once stopped—after passing Red Hill in Tustin—the vehicle could not be restarted, according to OnStar.

The CHP shut down northbound freeway traffic at Red Hill.

Hernandez-Bertschy has been arrested four times over the last year, and twice pleaded guilty to second-degree burglary charges for felony incidents that took place on June 11 and Dec. 7 of 2012.

Prior to that, he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor violations that occurred on April 3, 2012, that included battery, possession of concentrated marijuana and being a minor in possession of alcohol.

After having probation revoked previously, he was granted another three years on Dec. 31, 2012 stemming from the Dec. 7 burglary; it was revoked on Thursday. Currently in jail at the James A. Musick Facility, Hernandez-Bertschy's next court date is Friday.

The call was made March 19 at 11:26 p.m.

This report was culled from the Orange County Sheriff's website. Not all facts in each report are made public; the outcome of the report, as well as the facts, may differ from the original blotter item. All items are alleged to have occurred. There should be no assumption of guilt based on this limited information.