Last night, a high-speed chase unfolded as California Highway Patrol’s Golden Gate Division Air Operations, known as H30, detected a stolen Camaro entering Vacaville. Despite previous attempts by both the Vacaville Police Department and Solano County Sheriff's Office to arrest the thief, the thief managed to avoid capture, as detailed by the CHP - Golden Gate Division Air Operations.
The chase escalated after the Vacaville Police Department utilized its FLOCK camera system to help locate the vehicle within the city limits. A police officer spotted the car, but the suspect fled at dangerously high speeds once a traffic stop was attempted. CHP's H30 monitored the situation from above, enabling ground units to trail the perpetrator safely. H30's flight crew employed their FLIR-equipped camera to track the suspect's erratic movements through the backroads of Solano County, where the car reached over 120 mph.
The flight crew continued to update ground units as the Camaro raced onto eastbound I-80, accelerating to 170 mph. However, the endeavor stopped when the suspect drove into Davis and abandoned the vehicle to flee on foot. CHP - Golden Gate Division Air Operation described how the chase concluded: "The suspect attempted to elude capture for over 30 minutes, at one point burying a bag which was later found to be containing a gun and drugs."
Law enforcement, including officers from the Davis Police Department, CHP Solano, and CHP Woodland, coordinated quickly to form a perimeter. The suspect tried in vain to escape detection, not realizing his efforts were futile against modern technology. Ultimately, the airborne FLIR camera, radio communication, and the tenacity of law enforcement personnel led to his peaceful arrest. He finally acknowledged that it was impossible to outpace both the radio and the officers encircling him—the realization that allowed him to be taken into custody without incident.
