Alleged phone snatcher leads chase

On Tuesday, Oct. 20 shortly after 7 p.m., Vernon Leslie Harris IV, 40, became involved in a verbal dispute with another male regarding his driving behavior on Par Drive in unincorporated La Mesa. During the incident, Harris observed the victim photographing his pickup truck with a cellphone. Harris exited his vehicle, approached the victim, forcibly took the cellphone from the victim’s hand, and fled the scene. Deputies responded and used tracking information to locate the victim’s phone in the 400 block of El Cajon Boulevard in the city of El Cajon. Deputies observed Harris’ pickup truck and attempted a traffic stop. Harris failed to yield, and a vehicle pursuit ensued. The pursuit lasted more than 1 hour and 40 minutes, during which Harris ran at least one stop sign and one red light and swerved across multiple traffic lanes. The pursuit covered approximately 50 miles and reached speeds up to 60 mph.

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