A burglary suspect was in custody Thursday evening after leading police on a high-speed chase in the East County.
The incident started around 4:50 p.m. in the 4400 block of Dawson Avenue in Talmadge when the suspect broke into two homes, according to the San Diego Police Department.
The suspect followed a woman into her home and when she noticed he was in her kitchen, the suspect ran out the jumped into a neighbor's yard two doors down, police said.
A babysitter and two young children were in the backyard at the time, according to the police. The babysitter grabbed the children and ran out through the driveway. The suspect ran through the house and out the front door, police said.
Witnesses gave police a description of a car seen leaving the area and responding officers spotted the car about three to four blocks away as they were arriving and tried to pull the car over, San Diego police Officer Robert Heims said.
The suspect, identified as Dontae Douglas Smith, 28, fled and officers gave chase. Smith led police on a high-speed chase on Interstate 8 to Lake Murray Boulevard then to Spring Street in La Mesa.
Once, Smith reached Spring Street, San Diego police stopped the chase, Heim said. The suspect continued on Spring Street where he collided with a car in the 4200 block of Spring Street, near the Spring Street Trolley Station, Heims said.
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The suspect jumped out of the car and fled to a nearby canyon, he said. A La Mesa motorcycle police officer saw the suspect fleeing and helped San Diego police locate and arrest him.
Trolley services were not affected by the incident though San Diego Metropolitan Transit System bus Route 855 was not able to access the trolley station and picked up riders on the side of the road on Spring Street.
Smith was charged with felony evading arrest among other charges. La Mesa Police Department will investigate the crash.
