Man Brandishing Gun Arrested After Chase

Orange County sheriff’s deputies arrested a gun-waving man early Tuesday after the man allegedly screamed for officers to kill him, pointed his weapon at them and rammed a sheriff’s vehicle, authorities said.

Robert Lindner, 51, was arrested about 1:45 a.m. Tuesday when he put his weapon down on the trunk of his 1983 Chevrolet Celebrity, Sheriff’s Lt. Ron Wilkerson said.

Officers spotted Lindner driving on the wrong side of Bolsa Avenue at Newland Street. He got out of the car several blocks away and “pointed a gun at the deputy, shouting, ‘Kill me, shoot me,’ ” Wilkerson said.

Lindner then took off again after deputies applied pepper spray on him, Wilkerson said.

When the motorist stopped several blocks away, he put down his gun for a moment and deputies rushed him, Wilkerson said. Lindner was arrested on suspicion of assault, drunk driving, evading arrest and brandishing a replica firearm.

Wilkerson commended Deputy L. Zurborg and Reserve Deputy M. Lillemoen--who were first on the scene--for not using deadly force against the motorist. The gun turned out to be a BB gun.

“They showed tremendous restraint by not shooting this individual,” he said. “They had justification to do so. They chose not to and he’s still alive because of it.”