In an early morning New Year's Eve incident, a Bakersfield man led police on a cross-county chase after stealing a truck from a Simi Valley driveway. KTLA reports that the owner awoke to the sound of his vehicle being taken and the sight of broken glass where the truck had been parked.
The stolen vehicle, a black and white RAM with temporary license plates, was spotted shortly thereafter by a Simi Valley Police Department officer. An attempt to pull over the truck on the 118 Freeway led to a pursuit, as the suspect refused to stop. The chase proceeded eastbound into Los Angeles County, according to the Simi Valley Police Department.
Eventually, control of the truck was lost by a suspect while transitioning from the 118 Freeway to the 405 Freeway, where the vehicle struck a barrier. After the crash, the suspect, 20-year-old Jose Loeza, attempted to escape on foot but was quickly captured by authorities, as detailed by the Simi Valley Police Department.
Following the foot chase, Loeza was taken into custody and faces charges of vehicle theft, reckless evading of a peace officer, and obstructing/delaying a peace officer. He was booked at the Ventura County Sheriff’s Jail.
