Man arrested after ditching stolen car in Palm Springs

A Sun City man was arrested early Thursday morning after Palm Springs police spotted him driving a vehicle that was reported stolen in the 2300 block of Via Lazo

Lieutenant Mike Kovaleff said 32-year-old Carlos Andres Lopez Jr. was seen driving the stolen vehicle in the 2200 block of South Palm Canyon Drive around 6:25 a.m., just seven minutes after the theft was reported.

Lopez immediately drove into a dirt lot and ran from the vehicle when he saw the police.

Kovaleff said officers chased the suspect on foot across several streets to the area of Sierra Madre and San Jose, but they ended up losing sight of him. More officers were brought in to assist and they found him hiding in a nearby carport at about 6:40 a.m.

According to the release, Lopez was arrested for vehicle theft, possession of stolen property, and for resisting/delaying officers in the performance of their duties.

Kovaleff said the stolen vehicle was returned to the owner and Lopez was booked into the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility in Banning.