Salinas couple arrested after high speed pursuit in Santa Barbara County

A high speed chase on and off Highway 101 in Santa Barbara County that ended in Gaviota, nets two suspects from Salinas. Authorities are reported they have in custody Jason Crisp and Ricki Lee Warren of Salinas on several charges including vehicle theft and felony evading officers.

Early Tuesday morning Santa Maria police were in pursuit of a 2007 blue Dodge Ram truck southbound on Highway 101. At 6:15 a.m. officers notified the California Highway Patrol and the chase continued south to Buellton at speeds in excess of 100 mph. The suspects in the vehicle drove into the northbound lanes to evade CHP units. Officers eventually located the abandoned truck on the Mariposa Reina off ramp and observed the suspects running toward the beach.

At this time the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s deputies arrived and turned their K-9 officer ‘Aco’ loose. Taken into custody on the beach were 29 year old Jason Crisp and 20 year old Ricki Lee Warren both of Salinas.

It was determined in the investigation that Crisp and Warren stole the truck from a Salinas car lot Monday night. Salinas PD report that the two smashed a lock box, stole the keys and crashed through a gate as they exited the car lot.

Salinas Police also say that on November 1, Crisp was found at a Walmart parking lot on Davis Road in Salinas in possession of a stolen Porsche out of Bakersfield. Warren was with him that day and she was arrested.

Crisp was taken into custody, but taken to a hospital after he sustained an injury. But Crisp escaped the hospital and was wanted by police. Crisp has been a person of interest with Salinas police in a string of auto thefts, mostly high end cars.

Crisp is very well known to law enforcement in Salinas.

Both Crisp and Warren were booked into the Santa Barbara County jail on auto theft, possession for stole property and felony evading charges.