Features

Suspect arrested following East Bay crime spree

Daily Planet Wire Service
Tuesday October 15, 2002

MARTINEZ โ€” The Martinez Police Department says a man was placed in custody Monday after he went on an alleged crime spree that included robbing a house, crashing a stolen vehicle into a police car and attempted carjacking. 

Police said the California Highway Patrol forwarded them a 911 call at 11:23 a.m. from a man in a residence at 2550 Franklin Canyon Rd. The man said he was being robbed and that the intruder was still inside the building with him. 

A Martinez officer arrived at the scene within one minute and spotted the suspect driving away in a stolen Ford pickup truck. Officers attempted to stop the suspect but police said he intentionally crashed the truck into a squad car and headed off on westbound state Highway 4. Nobody was injured in the crash. 

After a brief road chase, the suspect drove off McEwen Road and onto a fire trail where he was able to gain access to westbound Interstate Highway 80. 

Police said the suspect โ€“ who was by this time was being pursued by officers from Martinez, Richmond, the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office and the CHP โ€“ drove into Richmond from I-80 and crashed into a carport at an apartment complex on South Hampton Road. 

Following the crash, police said the suspect jumped out of the stolen truck and used a pistol in an alleged attempt to carjack a vehicle from a resident in the apartment complex. Police quickly apprehended the suspect and took him into custody. 

Police did not release the suspect's name.