High-speed police pursuit in East Bay ends with two arrested, second car sought

OAKLEY — A highway chase by police that went on for approximately 35 miles ended with two men arrested and police looking for a third suspect in a second car, authorities said.

All of it happened last Friday, after an Oakley police officer spotted a gray Honda Accord that authorities said was known to have been associated with a robbery in Dublin and equipped with a license plate that was reported as lost or stolen from a Lexus.

In a statement, the city of Oakley said the officer spotted the Honda about 9:45 p.m. That officer and another one tried to pull over the Honda only to see it accelerate onto westbound state Highway 4, authorities said.

The two patrol cars pursued the Honda and were joined a few minutes later by a STARR helicopter from the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office. Authorities said the chase lasted into Hercules.

Authorities said the Honda never slowed, “reaching very high speeds at times” as officers continued to pursue. Authorities said because of the “nexus of (the Honda) to violent crimes, our officers remained in the pursuit all the way to the city of Hercules.”

“Pursuits by their very nature are dangerous, and police agencies diligently assess the need to continue them when they occur,” the city’s statement read. “Every decision made in a pursuit weighs the seriousness of the incident versus the public’s safety. When a vehicle is associated with a crime(s) of violence, it becomes more critical to apprehend the violator(s).”

The pursuit also was complicated by a black Ford Mustang that started pacing the officers even as the chase went faster and faster, authorities said. The Mustang turned off its lights and tried to block officers, authorities said. Police were investigating but did not make any arrests or identify the Mustang’s driver.

The chase ended in the 1900 block of Railroad Avenue, when the Honda stopped and the driver tried to run away. Police said they arrested the 20-year-old driver and 21-year-old passenger — both from Antioch — on suspicion of crimes associated with possession of stolen property, conspiracy and felony evading. The passenger did not try to flee the Honda once it stopped, authorities said.

“The action of fleeing at high speeds, the propensity to work in concert with others against police officers, having stolen license plates and spent shell casings is not a good look in any scenario,” Oakley Police Chief Paul Beard said within the city statement. “It is my concern a crime of violence was going to be perpetrated against an innocent person(s) in Oakley. I appreciate and respect (the officers) for keeping the residents of Oakley safe.”

Police took possession of the Honda. Authorities said they found the suspects with several stolen license plates and a blank key fob. They said they also found several fired shell casings inside the vehicle.

Authorities said they will work with Dublin police in regards to the robbery in that city. Details on that incident were not available immediately Tuesday morning. 

The California Highway Patrol and Hercules Police also helped apprehend the two.