Pair in stolen truck lead police on chase from American Canyon to Oakland, throwing tools out window
By: A police chase from American Canyon in Napa County to Oakland Friday morning ended in the arrest of two people, authorities said.
Shortly after 9 a.m., Oakland police said on social media that a tactical team and patrol officers converged at 62nd Ave. and International Blvd. at the end of the chase and arrested one suspect. A firearm was recovered and officers were searching for a second suspect.
A follow-up post a few minutes later indicated the second suspect had also been taken into custody.
In a separate statement Friday afternoon, American Canyon police said that the incident began shortly after 2:30 a.m. when an officer spotted the suspects casing vehicles in the parking lot of the Fairfield Inn and Suites on Highway 29. Police said the suspects were associated with a stolen Chevy pickup traced back to Alameda.
The suspects then led authorities on a pursuit from American Canyon onto Interstate 80. Police said the suspects tried to evade law enforcement by throwing construction tools from the pickup.
Officers with the California Highway Patrol also joined in the pursuit, deploying spike strips.
The pursuit ended at a home in Oakland, more than 30 miles, where the chase began. Police said the suspects barricaded themselves in the backyard of a home.
With the help of SWAT officers from the Oakland Police Department, the suspects were apprehended. The suspects are identified as 28-year-old Josue Valdez Amezcua and 24-year-old year-old Hector Garcia Hernandez, both of Oakland.
Police said the suspects were found to be in possession of a stolen vehicle, stolen property and a 9mm handgun that was stolen out of Sacramento.
No injuries were reported, and no shots were fired, American Canyon police said.
"The American Canyon Police Department commends the collaborative efforts of all agencies involved in bringing this pursuit to a safe and successful resolution and remains dedicated to ensuring the safety and well-being of our community," the department said in a statement.
Amezcua and Hernandez were transported back to Napa County, police said. The pair face charges of fleeing with reckless disregard of public safety, assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a stolen vehicle, possession of stolen property and unlawful possession of a firearm.