A wild car chase through a residential area led to the arrest of a 19-year-old alleged car thief in San Antonio, according to police. Esteban De La Cruz now faces charges, after being taken into custody on Wednesday, and his bail has been set at over $20,000. The pursuit began near 281 and Jones Maltsberger, culminating across town in the backyard of an unsuspecting homeowner on Austin Highway near Perrin Beitel.
The chase, narrated by the homeowner Bob Tolar to KENS 5, turned his peaceful yard work into a crime scene in seconds. "There were ten to 15 police cars with lights and sirens going off, and actually I was going in the house to get a gun but I didn't have time," Tolar said. In the heat of the moment, Tolar watched as the suspect, De La Cruz, sprinted through his yard with police in hot pursuit.
The chase ended without incident, as De La Cruz was quickly subdued by the officers. "To me it looked textbook. They told him get on the ground. He did, he complied. They cuffed him up. It happened quick," Tolar recounted to KENS 5. It was a sentiment echoed by Tolar’s friend, John, who also witnessed the drama unfold: "This kid hopped this back fence over here and started running towards us and then four cops jumped over the fence, started following him and they were no more than 50 feet behind him," according to the same KENS 5 interview.
Even after Tasers were drawn as De La Cruz hit the ground, according to Tolar's friend, the relief was palpable."The cops pulled out their Tasers, and you know he hit the floor. So they killed it. It just brought so much joy to me, our cops still protecting us and keeping us safe, so thank you guys," John said, while speaking with KENS 5. The owner of the stolen vehicle was promptly notified, and the truck was recovered with minimal additional damage reported.
De La Cruz, who appears to have no prior run-ins with the law in Bexar County, is now waiting for his day in court, scheduled for June 4.
