Chase of car-theft suspect in East Bay ends with suspect’s wrong-way crash on state Highway 24
The pursuit started on Highway 4 in Bay Point about 6:35 p.m. Wednesday.
ORINDA — An Oakland man who authorities said had an warrant for his arrest on drug trafficking charges crashed into another car Wednesday night while traveling the wrong way on state Highway 24, authorities said.
The 35-year-old suspect and the driver of the other vehicle also involved in the crash were hospitalized with undisclosed injuries, according to a statement from Contra Costa Sheriff’s spokesperson Jimmy Lee.
The man was set to be arrested and booked into the Martinez Detention Facility. Lee said he would be booked on suspicion of felony reckless evading; evading police causing injury; evading police by driving in the opposite direction; possessing a stolen vehicle; and having an out-of-county arrest warrant for drug trafficking.
According to Lee, sheriff’s office deputies were on westbound Highway 4 near Bailey Road in Bay Point about 6:35 p.m. when they found a stolen vehicle that they attempted to stop near the Solano Way exit on Highway 242 in Concord. The vehicle instead sped up and continued on southbound Interstate 680 and then onto westbound Highway 24, Lee said.
The suspect exited Highway 24 on Acalanes Road in Lafayette after deputies called off the pursuit because a sheriff’s helicopter was overhead. Lee said the suspect got of the car and momentarily ran into a residential area off Acalanes Road, then got back into the car and took it onto the eastbound lanes, driving west.
The crash happened soon thereafter. The incident remains under investigation, Lee said.