High Speed Chase Suspect Arraigned Thursday

A 23-year-old man who allegedly led authorities on a high speed chase through San Diego's South Bay after holding up a McDonald's pleaded not guilty Thursday to robbery and reckless evading charges.

The chase went through San Diego, National City, Chula Vista and Imperial Beach and began after Arevalo held up a McDonald's employee Tuesday shortly after 1 p.m. in City Heights, taking a deposit bag containing a little over $3,000, Pro alleged.

In IB the chase was seen going down Palm Avenue and south on Florida Street.

The robbery count against Justin Arevalo includes an allegation that he used a semiautomatic firearm during the robbery, said Deputy District Attorney John Pro.

"He took officers on a high-speed speed chase for 45 to 50 minutes," Pro said. "He was driving the wrong way on several side streets, took the 5 south, drove up on the curb, a sidewalk, nearly hit other vehicles and disregarded signals."

Police laid a spike strip on the freeway in National City that flattened his tires, and he was arrested.

According to The San Diego Union-Tribune, the reason the pursuit lasted
so long was because the defendant knew he couldn't smoke in jail, and he tried
to puff as many cigarettes as possible before pulling over.

Judge David Szumowski ordered the defendant to remain in custody in lieu of $150,000 bail and scheduled a readiness conference for Oct. 11 at the San Diego County Courthouse.

He faces 15 years and eight months in prison if convicted, according to the prosecutor.

City News Service contributed to this report.