Suspect who led police on chase from Laguna to Newport has 'extensive criminal history'

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. (FOX 11) - A parolee wanted on a no-bail warrant led police on a chase Wednesday, starting in Laguna Beach and leading to Newport Beach, where he barricaded himself inside the Mercedes-Benz he had been driving.

After a 45-minute standoff, the suspect got out of the car just before 5 p.m. and was taken into custody.

The chase started about 3 p.m. in Laguna Beach when the suspect, who was reported to be armed with a gun, refused to yield in an attempted vehicle stop, Laguna Beach Police Department Sgt. Jim Cota said.

The suspect, later identified as 53-year-old Newport Beach resident Richard Bloustine, has an "extensive criminal history'' of white collar and violent crimes, including a conviction for assault with a deadly weapon, Cota said.

The man was on the phone with dispatchers from his Mercedes-Benz at some point during the chase, Cota said.

He eventually pulled into a parking lot at an office complex in Newport Beach at 1441 Avocado Ave. near Fashion Island and remained in the car with police monitoring him at gunpoint.

It was unclear if a gun was recovered.

Bloustine was convicted in 2016 of writing bad checks totaling more than $200,000.

In 1996, he was convicted of credit card fraud in Hawaii, and three years later was found guilty of a fraud scheme in Arizona.

In 2004, he was convicted of grand theft, and in 2008, he was convicted again of grand theft and credit card fraud. Both of those cases were in Santa Barbara County.

CNS contributed to this report.