On Saturday, August 13th, 2022, at 1:33 pm, the Turlock Police Department, Turlock Fire Department, and American Medical Response were dispatched to a security check at the intersection of Fulkerth Rd and N Golden State Blvd, Turlock, after a man had been seen passed out behind the wheel of a vehicle.
Firefighters and paramedics got on scene prior to officers and attempted to make contact with the vehicle’s driver, later identified as a 17-year old Hispanic male juvenile. The juvenile immediately woke up and sped off at a high rate of speed, nearly striking one of the paramedics with his vehicle.
A few minutes later, officers located the vehicle near the intersection of Fulkerth Rd and N Tully Rd cutting off other vehicles and traveling at a high rate of speed. Officers attempted to make a traffic stop on the vehicle, however, the juvenile driver failed to stop and a pursuit ensued.
The juvenile led the officers through a shopping center in the area and then up to Monte Vista Crossings before heading back to where he was originally found southbound on N Golden State Blvd. In the process, the juvenile continued driving at a high rate of speed and even drove into oncoming lanes against traffic.
The vehicle finally became disabled and the pursuit came to an end near the intersection of W Canal Dr and N Golden State Blvd after the juvenile drove over a center median, however, not before sideswiping one of the pursuing patrol vehicles and an uninvolved bystander’s vehicle.
The juvenile then exited his vehicle and began fleeing on foot, however, was taken into custody shortly later in the 500 block of N Golden State Blvd after offering up some resistance.
The juvenile was arrested and released on a citation on charges of flight from a peace officer with disregard to public safety, flight from a peace officer against traffic, false personation, resisting a peace officer, providing false identification to a peace officer, possession of a controlled substance, and driving without a valid driver’s license.
No one suffered any injuries in the sideswipe collision and all vehicles involved sustained minor damage. The investigation into the collision remains on-going.
