Gilroy police engaged in two car chases through town this past
weekend, including one in which a car thief escaped on U.S. 101
south of Gilroy.
Gilroy police engaged in two car chases through town this past weekend, including one in which a car thief escaped on U.S. 101 south of Gilroy.
In the first incident at 9:23 a.m. Sunday, police received a report that a black Honda Element had been stolen from Fifth and Eigleberry streets, Sgt. Jim Gillio said. An officer spotted the car on Fifth and Princevalle streets, and it sped off. The driver of the vehicle got onto Sixth Street and circled eastern Gilroy a couple of times before accessing U.S. 101 via 10th Street. The driver of the Honda then got off at the Monterey exit before immediately getting back on again. The thief continued driving south on U.S. 101, and police called off the chase near the intersection of U.S. 101 and Route 156 because the high speeds were causing a potential danger to other drivers, Gillio said.
In a second incident at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, police noticed 35-year-old Robert Montejano throwing litter out of his window in the parking lot of Taco Bell, 995 First St., Gillio said. Montejano, who was driving a 1986 Acura Legend, crossed a dirt lot that separates Taco Bell and Safeway and then drove back through the dirt lot when an officer tried to pull him over in the Safeway parking lot, Gillio said. The driver then sped along Kern Avenue and hit a parked vehicle where the road ends. Police arrested Montejano for driving under the influence, evading an officer and a parole hold.
Police still do not have any suspect information on the man who drove off with the Honda on Sunday morning. Anyone with information is asked to contact Officer Noel Lemus at 846-0310.
