by Jack Lee
UPDATED 6/10/2010 (hear the police chase on video, go to end of story)
Today begins another wild time for the crime plagued City of Stockton. In the early morning hours 4 Hispanics in a mid-sized car fled from a traffic stop and took cops on a 10 mile long pursuit through a residential area and on to the I-5 freeway before heading into the rural county back roads. Police said during the begining of the pursuit objects continually flew out of the vehicle that
they suspected was possibly incriminating evidence.
Finally, after patrol units from the Stockton Police Dept., the Sheriff’s Dept and CHP cornered the occupants the driver called it quits and surrendered. Two of the occupants were arrested for burglary and outstanding felony warrants and the other three were released pending possible charges for possession of stolen property. The investigation remains ongoing.
Among the items police found along the pursuit trail was a digital scale commonly used for weighing narcotics and an expensive older 9mm semi-automatic pistol, possibly a war sourvenier. The serial number did not produce any hits .
Stockton police say their city is in a crime-wave and this comes when budget cuts are calling for 53 police officers to be laid off. Bad timing for the citizens, great timing for the criminals.
This just in from Scan Stockton:
Around 0210 HRS 06/09/2010 Stockton Unified School District Police made a traffic stop at Harrison/Eigth St, the vehicle fled the stop and a pursuit ensued. Items were immediately thrown from the window near the original stop.The pursuit lasted approximately 20 mins, with speeds at times reaching in excess of 90MPH, the pursuit at one point made it to French Camp on Mathey Rd. near San Joaquin County General Hospital, where a gun was possibly thrown from the vehicle. The driver of the vehicle then got onto Interstate 5 from French Camp heading North Bound back through City of Stockton. CHP, San Joaquin County Sheriffs, and Stockton Police all assisted in this pursuit, however SUSD was solo for almost the whole pursuit, PD, and SO finally being able to catch up near the termination of the pursuit.
Driver of the Vehicle exited at Ben Holt, and headed for the Arco Gas Station where Police blocked the subject in. The vehicle had tinted windows so there was no way to know how many people were actually in the vechile, SJ SO Deployed their K-9 in case they needed to use it, or in case of foot pursuit. Felony stop was conducted and three people were removed from the vehicle without further incident.
Originally when SPD and SJSO went to recover the gun, the could not find nothing but a digital scanner, near the hospital, however before SUSD took the subjects to be booked at the San Joaquin County Jail, they went back to the original stop and was able to recover some paraphernalia and a firearm.
Stockton Unified School District should be proud of these men and women, they do a fantastic job, without people understanding they put their lives on the line to, just like the rest of the police. The SUSD PD Unit on this night happened to be a two man unit, but still two solo officers for three subjects who did throw out a gun from the car, and appeared to have thrown another out by the hospital, they were pretty dangerous, and to the lone officer this could have been a tragedy. This is just another act of professionalism, and great job done by the Stockton Unified Police Department, and just goes to show they are the real deal, Sworn Peace Officers, who are willing to be right in the mix when they have to, they are not afraid to be Police Officers, and this is because this is what they are. Fantastic backup from Stockton Police Department, and the San Joaquin County Sheriffs Office.
Hear the video: click here.