Stolen vehicle rams police car in Santa Cruz, leads officers on freeway chase; 6 suspects arrested
By Carlos E. Castañeda
Two adults and four teens in a stolen vehicle were arrested in Santa Cruz over the weekend after colliding with a patrol vehicle and leading police and highway patrol officers on a chase, authorities said.
The Santa Cruz Police Department said in a press release that officers originally responded just after 4 p.m. to a report of a hit-and-run collision on Frederick Street in the Seabright neighborhood. Multiple 911 callers reported a black Mercedes SUV colliding with vehicles, being driven recklessly, and engaging in dangerous behaviors toward people in various locations in the city, police said.
An officer found the vehicle and suspects in a parking lot on Mission Street south of Bay Street and tried to stop them when the driver collided with the officer’s patrol vehicle, injuring the officer and disabling the patrol vehicle, police said. Additional officers located the SUV, which had been reported stolen in San Jose, and chased it onto Highway 1 toward Davenport, but police said officers ended the pursuit due to safety concerns.
Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputies later found the vehicle heading back toward Santa Cruz on Highway 1 and initiated a second pursuit into the city, where police officers were waiting with spike strips deployed. The chase continued along the Mission Street corridor onto joined by California Highway Patrol units onto Highway 1 and northbound Highway 17, where the vehicle came to a stop just north of Ocean Street, police said.
The driver and another occupant ran away into a nearby ravine where a K-9 officer was used to apprehend the driver. The second suspect who ran away was also detained, as were four other suspects who remained with the vehicle, police said.
The injured officer was taken to a hospital for moderate injuries while a second Santa Cruz police officer was treated for a minor injury during the suspects’ apprehension, police said. Several suspects were also treated and released at the hospital before being booked.
The two adults and four juveniles arrested were all from San Jose. The adults were identified as 26-year-old Fernando Penaloza and 18-year-old Alijah Ruiz. They face charges of hit-and-run, reckless evading, DUI causing injury, auto theft, child endangerment, conspiracy, and resisting or obstructing a peace officer.
Santa Cruz Police Deputy Chief Jose Garcia thanked those who originally reported the reckless driving incidents.
“The timeliness of the information and the details relayed were instrumental in reducing further harm to our neighborhoods and in eventually locating and safely apprehending these individuals,” Garcia said in a prepared statement. “We also thank our public safety partners for their assistance. The coordinated response was instrumental in bringing this incident to a safe conclusion while doing our best to protect our community members.”
The department asked anyone with information about the incident to contact the department at 831-420-5820 or submit an anonymous tip through the department’s website.
