Santa Maria police officers arrested a man on Feb. 16 who collided with a patrol car while driving a stolen vehicle, injuring one officer, according to a Santa Maria Police Department press release.
At 10:06 a.m., a patrol officer said he observed a reported stolen vehicle in the area of W. Church Street and S. Western Avenue in Santa Maria. The officer attempted an enforcement stop, but the suspect—24-year-old Santa Maria resident Anthony Herrera—evaded the officer, the release stated.
Herrera and the officer engaged in a one-minute vehicle pursuit, according to the release, during which Herrera reached 50-mile-per-hour speeds in a residential area, running three stop signs. The officer ended the pursuit “due to the danger posed to the public and involved parties,” the release stated.
Another officer in a marked police car was responding to assist when Herrera made an alleged “reckless left-hand turn” onto Western Avenue, driving north in the southbound lane toward the responding officer’s vehicle. The officer attempted to swerve to avoid a collision, but Herrera’s vehicle struck the police car.
Both vehicles sustained “moderate damage” and the officer was treated for minor injuries at Marian Hospital. He has since been released.
Herrera was uninjured and arrested at the scene on suspicion of stealing a vehicle and evading the police. He has since been booked into Santa Barbara County Jail.
This article appears in Feb 23 – Mar 2, 2017.