At about 10:21am Saturday, Turlock Police responded to an area check at W. Monte Vista Avenue and Countryside Drive.
Officers had received information that a vehicle was in the area of Monte Vista Crossings, per license plate readers. The vehicle had been involved in several recent shoplifting incidents.
As officers arrived and began searching the area, they located the vehicle parked and unoccupied in front of Kohl’s.
Officers surveilled the vehicle until Joshua Durand, 27, of Modesto, and Stevi Earl, 33, of Modesto, returned to it. Durand got in the driver seat while Earl got in the passenger seat.
After observing Durand violate the California Vehicle Code, officers made a traffic stop at Countryside Drive and Retreat Drive.
Durand reentered the parking lot and briefly stopped, but then recklessly took off northbound through the parking lot. A pursuit was initiated.
The pursuit went westbound in the eastbound lanes of Monte Vista Avenue and got onto southbound State Route 99, reaching speeds in excess of 85mph.
Durand exited westbound onto W. Main Street, went southbound on S. Walnut Road, and pulled into Motel 6.
Officers had gotten a distance away from the vehicle and by the time they arrived at Motel 6, both Durand and Earl had leg-bailed from it.
A witness told officers that the two had entered Hot Rod Diner and were hiding in the restroom. They were located and taken into custody.
Officers identified the two and discovered that Durand had a $20,000 felony bench warrant out of San Francisco for buying or receiving a stolen vehicle, possession of methamphetamines, and possession of drug paraphernalia, while Earl had two no-bail felony bench warrants out of Modesto for auto theft and buying or receiving a stolen vehicle. Both were also on searchable probation, Durand for identity theft and Earl for auto theft and buying or receiving a stolen vehicle.
Durand and Earl were both arrested and booked into the Stanislaus County Public Safety Center on the charge of violation of probation and their warrants. Durand was also charged with fleeing from a peace officer by vehicle with disregard for public safety, fleeing from a peace officer by vehicle against traffic, and reckless driving, while Earl was also charged with obstructing or resisting a public officer in the discharge of their duty.
Additionally, Durand’s vehicle was towed.
