Driver held for stealing cars and ramming police vehicles in California chase

Police arrested the driver at a petrol station (Peter Byrne/PA)

A driver who stole several cars, rammed police vehicles and hit other cars has been arrested after an hour-long chase across southern California that ended in smoke, flames and gunshots.

The pursuit across two counties began about 5pm on Wednesday with reports of a car speeding erratically in Anaheim, Orange County.