HIGH-SPEED CHASE ENDS IN TOWN CENTER PARKING LOT.

Byline: Patricia Farrell Aidem Staff Writer

A man who said he was on his way to see his girlfriend drove at more than 100 mph down the Golden State (5) Freeway and into the heart of Valencia in the midst of rush-hour traffic Monday night, officials said.

With the California Highway Patrol in pursuit, the driver of a white Chevrolet Camaro sped into the parking lot of the crowded Valencia Town Center shopping mall, where officers boxed him after he hit a light pole, authorities said.

Highway Patrol Sgt. Larry Wilson, who was involved in the chase, gave the order to officers to bump the speeding car with their squad cars and force it to stop, said Capt. Pete Mader, of the CHP's Newhall station.

``Rather than see him kill someone, we had to take action,'' Mader said.

After he left the freeway the driver headed east at 70 mph on Valencia Boulevard where the speed limit is 45 mph, Wilson said.

The driver managed to maintain control while heading into Valencia's commercial center, but hit the cement base of the light standard when he went into the mall's parking lot, Mader said.

Seconds later, three squad cars had the Camaro surrounded, metal-on-metal. All four cars showed scars of the chase.

Although there have been many Highway Patrol pursuits down the Interstate 5 Freeway, no one could recall one ending in the middle of Valencia under such circumstances.

The motorist, identified as Moises Salas III, told officers he was en route to see his girlfriend, who worked in the mall, officials said.

The suspect was taken to the Santa Clarita Valley's sheriff's's station where he was booked on suspicion of evading arrest, authorities said.

The pursuit started when CHP Officer Marcel Bacon spotted the man on the southbound Golden State Freeway near Pyramid Lake, about 30 miles north of Valencia. He was traveling about 100 mph and ignored Bacon's attempts to pull him over officials said.