In the wee hours of the morning, American Canyon police officers, alert to the suspicious activity, spotted two individuals linked to a stolen Chevy truck attempting to case vehicles at Fairfield Inn and Suites. The incident, starting just after 2:30 a.m., quickly turned into a pursuit that continued along Hwy. 80 and ended in an Oakland backyard standoff, reported the American Canyon Police Department via a statement on Facebook.
The chase ensued after the suspects, who had been noticed by a patrolling officer, started making erratic moves to flee the scene. The pursuit escalated onto the freeway, where the suspects threw construction tools out of the vehicle's window in a perilous bid to slow down the police. The California Highway Patrol joined in the pursuit, attempting to bring the stolen truck to a halt using spike stripes to prioritize public safety and that of the officers in pursuit.
The suspects took to a resident's backyard in Oakland, effectively barricading themselves until the Oakland Police Department SWAT team moved in for the capture. Identified as Josue Valdez Amezcua, 28, and Hector Garcia Hernandez, 24, both Oakland residents were arrested and found to be armed and carrying stolen goods, among them a 9mm handgun snatched from Sacramento.
The suspects are now facing multiple charges, including assault with a deadly weapon and unlawful possession of a firearm, with the apprehended individuals now facing due legal process back in Napa County for their alleged crimes.
