Lafayette police and Contra Costa County Sheriff’s deputies following a stolen car in Burton Valley got a rude response Thursday when the driver rammed a trailing sheriff’s car in his bid to escape.
The man, whose name is being withheld by this site for the time being, appeared to have eluded police for the second straight day after Lafayette police and county sheriff’s deputies closed down a hard perimeter around 8 p.m. Thursday, leaving officers to circulate through an area bounded by Olympic Blvd., Pleasant Hill Road, Condit and Samantha.
Police found the battered, older model Toyota Camry the subject was using abandoned on Pleasant Hill Road around 6:34 p.m. Officers immediately set up a perimeter around Olympic and Reliez Station Road and searched the surrounding homes door to door, using two canine teams and a California Highway Patrol helicopter when it was able to join the search.
Police said the man currently on the run from officers is the same man who eluded police and touched off a widespread search effort in Lafayette Wednesday afternoon. The man’s girlfriend was subsequently arrested at the scene and is being held on a no bail warrant.
The suspect is described as a white male, 28-years-old, 5′ 8″-tall, 185 pounds with black hair. He is believed to be wearing a black, windbreaker-type jacket and blue jeans. His name and photograph have not been released by police.
Police confirmed information reported by this web site in days prior, saying the suspect returned to the Burton Valley neighborhood after successfully eluding a police cordon during the day Wednesday and stole a car – the Camry used to ram the sheriff’s car the following evening.
Investigators said they developed information the man intended to return to the home where he had stolen the car and were in the area when he arrived as expected. When officers attempted to stop him, the suspect rammed the police car to make his escape in a collision recounted by a NEWS24-680 reader behind the police car at the time.
Watchful neighbors have reported several sightings of the individual, and one man told police he was approached by the suspect and asked to call him a cab.
On Friday, investigators obtained an arrest warrant for the suspect and officers are now searching for him. Police said Friday they were confident the suspect was no longer in Lafayette.
This happened right in front of me at around 6, it was at an intersection and a cop car suddenly pulled right in front of the car right in front of me, which was white. The car just rams the cop car and then backs up and goes around it. Another car with sirens chases after it. The cop car that got rammed turns around and follows.
That’s about right Misha. Glad you weren’t hurt. Police still trying to find this man.
2 days in a row he has escaped? This is crazy!
Definitely doesn’t happen every day, Kevin.
Sounds like the authorities know who he is. Assuming he has a driver’s license or prior record, are there any plans to release his photo?
Hi, James… We believe law enforcement does know who this man is. They often have reasons – usually evidentiary – for limiting release of a photograph but we have asked for one and would certainly use it if we have it as this gentlemen remains at large and the readership would benefit from knowing what he looks like.
5′ & 185 pounds? He’s a big boy. I’d check McDonalds.
He stayed overnight or came back?
Pretty ballsy I have to say.
One correction, this person, who is still at large is not a “gentleman” .