Chaos unfolded in Carlsbad yesterday when a parolee, identified as Kenneth Ash, 30, of Oceanside, was arrested following a high-speed pursuit and carjacking incident. The San Diego County Sheriff’s Office had issued a "Be-On-the-Lookout" alert for a stolen silver Toyota RAV4, which the Carlsbad Police Department received at around 7:46 AM, as reported by the City of Carlsbad news portal.
The suspect, who demanded the driver exit, obtained the vehicle through fear and intimidation. License Plate Readers in the city later spotted it. When officers approached the suspect near La Costa Avenue and Interstate 5, fleeing at high speeds and committing multiple traffic violations, the pursuit ensued at around 8:38 AM.
Concerns for public safety led officers to terminate the chase initially, but a deputy from the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office managed to deploy spike strips shortly after 9:00 AM. These strips slowed down the stolen RAV4, allowing Carlsbad officers to re-engage in pursuit. The unfolding events reached a climax when the suspect sideswiped an occupied vehicle, veering off the road and crashing near Faraday Avenue, hitting a bus stop and a tree.
Defying police commands, the suspect then attempted to approach other occupied vehicles that were stopped in traffic. A police K9 was deployed, bringing the suspect to a halt; however, he continued to resist while officers attempted to place him in a WRAP restraint device. During the tussle, one Carlsbad Police officer was injured, although neither the public nor the police K9s sustained any injuries.
The charges facing Ash, confirmed by the Carlsbad city news portal as a parolee at the time of his apprehension, include carjacking, felony evading, assault on a peace officer, resisting arrest, hit and run, and violation of parole. Following an examination at a local hospital, Ash was booked into Vista Detention Facility, as the investigation by Carlsbad Police, in collaboration with the San Diego County Sheriff's Office, continues.
