Two Menlo Park juveniles were arrested after leading California
Highway Patrol officers on a chase from Morgan Hill into Gilroy,
CHP Officer Chris Armstrong said.
Morgan Hill – Two Menlo Park juveniles were arrested after leading California Highway Patrol officers on a chase from Morgan Hill into Gilroy, CHP Officer Chris Armstrong said.
A 17-year-old male and a 16-year-old male were arrested by CHP officers in Gilroy Friday night. The older teen, who was driving the vehicle, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, grand theft auto, hit and run, resisting and delaying a peace officer, driving without a license and “multiple other charges,” according to the CHP report.
The younger teen was arrested on suspicion of grand theft auto, resisting and delaying a peace officer and concealment of an unlawful weapon.
The two youths were in a stolen Toyota Camry with a third teenager, who is still at large, southbound on U.S. 101 just north of the East Dunne Avenue exit about 7pm Friday. The Toyota was traveling about 60mph behind a Honda Civic when traffic began to quickly slow.
The Toyota smashed into the rear of the Civic, which pulled off the highway. The teen driver of the Toyota did not stop, and according to a witness, fled southbound at a high rate of speed, with the witness following and contacting police, Armstrong said.
Two CHP officers located the Toyota south of Buena Vista Boulevard and attempted to pull the car over on the Leavesley Road off ramp, Armstrong said. The driver did not stop, but continued on to eastbound Leavesley Road, then turned north on San Ysidro Avenue.
The driver then made a sign with his hands that he was coming to a stop on the shoulder of the road, and he pulled the Toyota over, but then he and the two passengers fled on foot into the Gilroy Premium Outlets parking lot.
Armstrong said one of the CHP officers followed the driver into a clothing store, where the driver had barricaded himself in the women’s restroom and would not obey officer requests to come out. When the Gilroy Police Department’s K-9 unit arrived, Armstrong said, the teen left the restroom and surrendered to officers without incident.
The other CHP officer arrested the 16-year-old passenger, but the second passenger is still outstanding, and the investigation is continuing.
Armstrong said the Toyota was reported stolen from East Palo Alto Police.
The driver of the Civic was not injured during the incident.
