On Friday, July 28th, 2023, at 9:43 pm, a Turlock Police officer near the intersection of English Ave and Hartley Ln, Turlock, noticed a man drive past him and intentionally try to avoid eye contact.

The officer knew that a similar vehicle had been reported stolen out of Ceres the prior week, so he attempted to make a traffic stop on it after observing a California Vehicle Code violation.

As the officer activated his lights and signaled the man to pull over, he continued slow rolling. The officer eventually activated his siren and the man accelerated the vehicle, initiating a pursuit. The vehicle was also confirmed to be stolen.

The pursuit made its way to S Soderquist Rd, where the man began driving westbound on the dirt road along the railroad tracks. The man crossed S Tully Rd and made it to the 500 block of S Walnut Rd, where he abandoned the vehicle and leg bailed.

After a brief foot pursuit, Luis Espinoza, 33, of Orland, was taken into custody.

When officers had their dispatcher run Espinoza, they discovered that he had four misdemeanor bench warrants. The first was a $10,555 one for possession of methamphetamines and driving without a valid driver’s license, the second was a $5,000 one for possession of methamphetamines, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving without a valid driver’s license, and failure to appear, the third was a $1,000 one for possession of methamphetamines, driving without a valid driver’s license, and driving or leaving standing an unregistered vehicle, and the fourth was a $2,000 one for possession of burglary tools.

Monique Short, 34, of Turlock, was also contacted in the vehicle and detained. She stated that as Espinoza was originally signaled to pull over, he told her that the vehicle was stolen. Short was also found to be in possession of drug paraphernalia.

Espinoza and Short were both arrested, Espinoza was booked into the Stanislaus County Public Safety Center on charges of driving or taking a vehicle without the consent of its owner, fleeing or attempting to elude a peace officer in a vehicle with disregard for public safety, buying or receiving a stolen vehicle, and obstructing or resisting a public officer in the discharge of their duty, as well as his warrant, while Short was released on a citation on the charge of possession of drug paraphernalia.