HOLLISTER
– A Hollister man was arrested by Gilroy police after leading
local law enforcement and the California Highway Patrol on
high-speed chase through Hollister and into downtown Gilroy.
HOLLISTER – A Hollister man was arrested by Gilroy police after leading local law enforcement and the California Highway Patrol on high-speed chase through Hollister and into downtown Gilroy.
Oscar Ceja, 22, was arrested Saturday on suspicion of felony evading police and vehicle theft, Hollister police said.
The nearly 40-mile pursuit reportedly began at 6:56 p.m. when a Hollister Police officer attempted to stop Ceja, who was driving a green 1996 Ford pick-up truck northbound on Powell Street just a little over the speed limit, Hollister police said.
Instead of stopping, Ceja, who allegedly had a stolen motorcycle in the bed of the truck, accelerated to a high rate of speed, police said.
The officer chased Ceja to Westside Boulevard where the pursuit continued south on Westside Boulevard at speeds between 50 mph and 70 mph, police said.
Ceja allegedly changed directions, doubling back and fled north on Powell Street to make his way to Buena Vista Road, investigators said.
Ceja allegedly did not stop at 14 stop signs and drove through the city at speeds exceeding 70 mph.
The pursuit then headed west on Buena Vista Road to the Highway 156 bypass, where police followed Ceja’s pickup truck westbound at varying high speeds, police said.
As the chase passed Union Road, patrol units from the San Benito County Sheriff’s Department joined the pursuit and followed Ceja as he reportedly darted in and out of the traffic trying to evade the police, investigators said.
The pursuit reportedly continued passed San Juan Bautista where Hollister police units ended their chase, but sheriff’s deputies continued to follow Ceja’s speeding truck, police said.
When Ceja reportedly headed north on U.S. 101, two CHP patrol units took over the pursuit that continued at high rates of speed to the outskirts of Gilroy, police said.
Investigators said Gilroy police took over the chase, which reportedly continued north on Monterey Road until Ceja’s truck was involved in an accident near the intersection of Monterey and Fifth streets.
Gilroy police moved in on the disabled truck and arrested Ceja, who reportedly started the chase because he did not want to be arrested for having a stolen motorcycle in his pick-up truck, police said.
