Resident faces DUI, hit-and-run charges

A Costa Mesa man is due back in court Monday for a pre-trial hearing on charges that he drunkenly hit a pedestrian with his car then tried to escape the scene by ditching his car and swimming into the ocean fully clothed.

James Arlen Peterson, 32, pleaded not guilty Tuesday to felony driving under the influence and causing an injury with a prior DUI conviction, and felony hit and run with injury.

Prosecutors claim that Peterson was driving his Chevy Monte Carlo about 5 p.m. Friday when he sped southbound onto 30th Street and hit a 48-year-old woman as she stood by her open car door.

Authorities said the woman tried to dodge Peterson’s car but got hit, slamming her into her vehicle. Police said she suffered moderate injuries.

Witnesses tried to flag down Peterson and get him to stop, prosecutors said, but he continued on and tried to turn around to get away.

Blocked, Peterson backed his car up to the beach and ditched it, prosecutors said.

Police said he still had his wallet, keys, clothes and shoes on when he dove into the ocean and swam out to escape.

A Costa Mesa police helicopter commander who spotted the vehicle also spotted a man — who turned out to be Peterson — dipping below the water line about 400 yards off shore.

A lifeguard boat with police officers on board rescued Peterson, who was exhausted and making suicidal statements, police said.

He was treated at Hoag Memorial Presbyterian Hospital and arrested.

Peterson is being held in Orange County Jail in lieu of $100,000 bail.

He faces up to three years and eight months in prison if convicted of all charges.