Bakersfield man arrested for vehicle theft and reckless evasion after freeway chase and crash
SIMI VALLEY, Calif. – A Bakersfield man was arrested for vehicle theft, reckless evasion of an officer, and obstructing an officer after allegedly taking a truck from a Simi Valley driveway and driving into Los Angeles County before crashing the vehicle and attempting to flee from the scene on foot Tuesday.
On Dec. 31, around 1:30 a.m., a Simi Valley resident in the 3000 block of Fletcher Avenue was woken up by the sounds of his Ram TRX pick-up truck starting in his driveway stated a press release from the Simi Valley Police Department.
The awakened man found that his truck was missing, noticed broken glass on his driveway, and could hear his truck's distinctive exhaust sounds a few streets away explained the Simi Valley Police Department.
According to Simi Valley Police, an officer located the stolen truck eastbound on Highway 118 and, when the officer attempted a traffic stop, the vehicle did not stop and a freeway chase began.
The pursuit continued into Los Angeles County and ended when the driver, later identified as a 20-year-old Bakersfield man, crashed into a guardrail while attempting to transition from Highway 118 to northbound Highway 405 detailed the Simi Valley Police Department.
The 20-year-old then fled the scene of the crash on foot before being taken into custody after a brief foot chase stated the Simi Valley Police Department.
The Bakersfield man was arrested and booked at the Ventura County Sheriff's Jail for vehicle theft, reckless evasion of a peace office, and obstructing or delaying a peace officer shared the Simi Valley Police Department.
