Friday afternoon traffic on Highway 99 turned into anything but routine when a man who appeared to have stolen a Sacramento Police Department patrol vehicle led officers on a fast, southbound chase that ended near Turner Road. The pursuit cut through the Galt and Lodi areas and pulled in multiple law enforcement units before officers finally stopped the cruiser and took the driver into custody. Southbound lanes were shut down while investigators worked the scene and cleared the damaged car from the roadway.
According to KCRA, officers began chasing the stolen Sacramento police cruiser on southbound Highway 99 in the Galt area at about 1:36 p.m. A California Highway Patrol officer tried a pursuit intervention maneuver in the Lodi area as multiple units coordinated how to bring the chase to an end.
"A CHP cruiser hit the back of the stolen vehicle at about 1:47 p.m.," KCRA reported. The driver kept going after that initial contact but ultimately got out of the cruiser and lay on the ground near Turner Road, where officers detained him on the highway.
The scene and aftermath
On the roadway, officers found the stolen patrol car with damage to its rear bumper and secured the surrounding area while they documented the stop. With southbound lanes blocked, afternoon commuters were hit with delays and detours until the vehicle and scattered debris could be removed. Early information from the scene did not point to any serious injuries tied to the pursuit.
PITs, pursuits and department rules
In cases like this, officers sometimes turn to the pursuit intervention technique, or PIT, which is designed to stop a fleeing car by making controlled contact with its rear quarter panel. It is a high-risk move, and agencies set tight rules on when their officers can use it. The California Highway Patrol's pursuit manual (CHP HPM 70.6) instructs officers to rely on "sound professional judgment" and follow detailed procedures on when to pursue, how to document pursuits and how to train for them. The Sacramento Police Department's general order on vehicle pursuits (GO 521.01) similarly directs officers to weigh public safety, road and traffic conditions and the seriousness of the suspected crime before deciding whether a chase should continue.
Legal note
California law offers some legal cover to agencies that adopt and train to an approved pursuit policy. Departments that meet those requirements can be eligible for limited immunity for pursuit-related crashes under Vehicle Code §17004.7, but that protection depends on having written rules, ongoing training and specific reporting in place. National reporting has flagged the dangers of PIT maneuvers at higher speeds and pushed many agencies to scale back their use. A recent San Francisco Chronicle investigation documented dozens of deaths around the country tied to such tactics.
It was not immediately clear whether prosecutors would bring charges in connection with the stolen cruiser. Booking and charging details had not been released as of Friday afternoon. Investigators stayed on scene near Turner Road, and officials said more information would be shared when it becomes available.
