Man Arrested After Alleged Attempt to Run Down Officer

COSTA MESA —  A Costa Mesa man was arrested Thursday evening after he allegedly tried to run over a police officer at Lions Park.

Officer Linda Matthews, a seven-year veteran. noticed three men lurking near the park at 5:30 p.m., said Police Lt. Dennis Cost. Two of them were standing outside of a car, talking to the driver.

As Matthews drove up to the car, the two men ran off, Cost said.

Matthews got out to talk to the driver, but he started his car and tried to run her down, Cost said.

“She was able to get out of the way as he hit the police car and left the area driving around 60 m.p.h. with his lights off,” Cost said. Matthews was not injured, he said.

Another police officer spotted the driver near Adams Avenue and attempted to pull him over, but the man sped onto the San Diego Freeway, then onto the Corona del Mar Freeway, exiting at Bristol Street. He fled on foot in the 2100 block of Bristol Street in Newport Beach and was captured nearby.

Rigoberto Ibanez Preciado, 22, was booked at Costa Mesa City Jail on suspicion of assault on a police officer, reckless evasion in a vehicle, trespassing and malicious mischief. He was held on $25,000 bail.