A routine traffic stop in Vallejo escalated into a dramatic chase and ended with a felon in handcuffs for gun possession, authorities said.
The Vallejo Police Department reported that on January 12, officers spotted a black 2021 Kia K5 that rolled through a the stop sign at Branciforte Street and Alabama Street and attempted to pull it over. But instead of stopping, the driver hit the gas, leading cops on a high-speed chase.
The pursuit came to an abrupt end when the suspect lost control, crashing into the wall of a home on the 800 block of Florida Street. Police say the man bailed out of his vehicle with a firearm in hand and took off on foot. During the chase, officers witnessed him toss the gun away before finally surrendering in Maxwell Alley.
Recovered at the scene was an unregistered, loaded firearm that the suspect had discarded. A subsequent background check confirmed that the driver was indeed a convicted felon, barred from firearm possession. After a trip to the hospital for medical clearance, he was booked into the county jail, according to a statement from the Vallejo Police Department.
The suspect's vehicle did not fare as well, towed away from the crash site to face a fate undetermined.
