SON ACCUSED OF STEALING CAR, FLEEING DEPUTIES SAY MAN TOOK, THEN ABANDONED MOM'S AUTO.

Byline: Greg Botonis Staff Writer

PALMDALE - A 22-year-old Palmdale man was arrested after leading sheriff's deputies on an 80 mph chase in a car his mother had reported stolen, deputies said Monday.

Dana Michael Wood was arrested in his bed in the apartment he shares with his mother, where deputies say he returned Sunday night 2 1/2 hours after abandoning the car a block away.

``His mother heard the car leave the parking lot and ran out with the cordless phone in her hand calling us, but she didn't know it was her son that had stolen it,'' said Deputy Dave Miklos.

Patrol deputies said they spotted the 1982 Oldsmobile, swerving from side to side on 15th Street East near Palmdale Boulevard, a few minutes after it was reported stolen.

The driver refused to stop, deputies said, and the car sped north, then turned around at Blackbird Lane adjoining U.S. Air Force Plant 42. The Oldsmobile went back down 15th Street East, turned west on Palmdale Boulevard and then headed north down 11th Street East.

Deputies said the driver jumped out of the car on 11th Street East, between Palmdale Boulevard and Avenue Q, and fled over a wall toward 10th Place. A passenger, who said he didn't know the car was stolen, was taken into custody without incident and later released.

Deputies searched the area for nearly two hours before the passenger identified the driver by a nickname. Deputies said Wood's mother heard the nickname and recognized it as her son's.

Checking the apartment in the 38500 block of 10th Street East, deputies found Wood in his bed, officials said, and his mother agreed to press charges.

In lieu of $15,000 bail, Wood was being held at the Lancaster sheriff's station on suspicion of evading arrest and of auto theft.