A man experiencing homelessness in Sacramento has been charged with multiple felonies after reportedly stealing a police car and briefly evading officers during a chase that ended in Lodi on Friday.
The events unfolded around 12:30 p.m. when police were called to the scene of vandalism near Marysville Boulevard and South Avenue.
The caller alleged that the man had assaulted her by throwing a bucket at her vehicle’s tires and pursuing her while wielding a large stick, according to local reports.
When officers attempted to apprehend him, the suspect fled, jumping into a patrol vehicle just as they began to chase him on foot, authorities explained.
This led to a pursuit through Sacramento on Highway 99 after the suspect drove off in the cruiser.
Making matters worse, the police car contained department-issued firearms, which heightened the danger for the officers involved in the chase.
Eventually, California Highway Patrol troopers managed to stop the vehicle near Lodi and apprehended the suspect safely.
The suspect has been identified as Isaac Paval, 28, from Sacramento. Authorities noted that he has a criminal history and is currently on pretrial probation due to a DUI charge.
Investigators are also looking into whether Paval had access to a rifle within the stolen vehicle, which was kept in a secured safe. However, there’s still no confirmation on whether he could actually reach it.
Anthony Gamble from the Sacramento Police Department stated that if it turns out Paval accessed the weapon, he would face even more charges.
After the arrest, Paval was sent to the hospital for precautionary reasons and will be booked into the Sacramento Main Jail after he gets medical clearance.
Gamble mentioned uncertainty regarding whether the police department has the capability to remotely disable stolen patrol cars. The police plan to review the incident to consider measures that might prevent similar situations in the future.
