Here’s your weekly digest of criminal happenings in Gilroy, including a string of vehicle thefts on the same day, an alleged robbery at gunpoint and a man who was arrested for driving under the influence after trying to evade a DUI checkpoint.
A string of Honda thefts on Dec. 14
According to the Gilroy Police Department, a 1995 gold Honda Accord was stolen from the 8700 block of San Ysidro Avenue between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Also on Dec. 14 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., police say a 1995 tan Honda Civic was stolen from the 400 block of Fairview Drive.
“There’s a good possibility those thefts are connected,” said GPD Sgt. Pedro Espinoza. “A vehicle stolen out of Watsonville was recovered in the general area so there’s a good possibility the car was stolen over there, driven over here by a couple of crooks who took a few cars back.”
Police recovered a white 1997 Honda Civic near the intersection of Carnation Lane and Mantelli Drive at 12:13 a.m. Dec. 14.
Alleged robbery at gunpoint
On Dec. 13 at 8:04 p.m., a man told the GPD he was robbed at gunpoint outside his home on the 7200 block of Ticonderoga Place.
As the alleged victim reported to police, he pulled into his driveway and exited his car. Then, a black Acura pulled in right behind him. The man walked towards the unknown car because he thought he might have known someone in the vehicle, according to police reports. But the driver of the Acura exited the vehicle and was holding a black handgun in his right hand, according to the victim’s statement.
“This guy is alleging he won some money and said he was followed and eventually robbed at gunpoint,” Espinoza said.
The unknown suspect then allegedly demanded the victim’s money and made away with between $2,700 and $3,900 in cash. Before fleeing northbound in the Acura with three other passengers, the victim claims, the suspect also grabbed the wallet from the victim’s back pocket, taking various debit cards and a drivers license.
Can’t avoid a DUI checkpoint
On Dec. 13 at 10:06 p.m., Juan Martinez-Camacho, 27, was driving southbound on Monterey Street until he noticed a Gilroy Police Department DUI checkpoint. Martinez-Camacho turned into a small parking lot on the 8300 block of Monterey Street in an attempt to bypass the checkpoint.
GPD officers took note of Martinez-Camacho’s evasive maneuver, contacted him and subsequently arrested him for driving under the influence.
Also stopped at the GPD checkpoint:
-Ruben Chavez, 41, on Dec. 13 at 11:32 p.m. for driving with a license that was suspended or revoked. Chavez received a citation and was released, according to police reports.
-Rafael Quiroz, 24, on Dec 13 at 11:57 p.m. for driving with a license that was suspended or revoked. Quiroz was cited and released by police, while his vehicle was impounded.
-Rufino DeJesus Rojas, 20, on Dec. 14 at 12:01 a.m. was arrested for driving under the influence. Police saw an open alcoholic beverage in his vehicle and he displayed objective symptoms of alcohol intoxication, according to GPD reports. Rojas also failed to complete or pass a field sobriety exercise, police say.
-Patricia Marie Quiroz, 29, on Dec. 14 at 12:30 a.m. was cited and released for driving on a license that was suspended or revoked. According to police reports, Quiroz did not have her child in safety restraints, as is required by state law for children under 7 years of age, and had no proof of insurance. Her vehicle was impounded and stored, police say.
