A burglary at the Vista Target turned into a felony strong-arm robbery and a multi-city police pursuit that included a crash near Oceanside, according to San Diego County Sheriff's deputies. Investigators say the suspect, described as a female caretaker, fled the store with a male passenger they now fear may be held against his will.
The incident began at the Target located at 1571 University Drive in Vista, according to 10News. Deputies described the incident as a burglary that became a strong-arm robbery. California's long-standing Estes robbery doctrine holds that force or fear used during a getaway can convert a simple shoplifting case into a violent felony, as outlined by the Law Office of Michael L. Fell.
From there, the suspect and her male passenger headed west, setting off a pursuit that stretched from Vista into neighboring Oceanside.
A Passenger's Safety in Question
What sets this case apart is the concern surrounding the man riding along with the suspect. Authorities believe he may be held against his will by the woman identified as his caretaker, per the same account relayed to 10News.
California Penal Code § 368 makes elder abuse a felony when the conduct is likely to produce great bodily injury or death, punishable by up to four years in state prison, according to the Shouse Law Group. Whether that statute — or a false imprisonment charge — ultimately applies here remains to be seen, and the exact nature of the relationship between the two has not been detailed beyond the caretaker description.
Crash Near Emerald Drive, Chase Ends by the Lagoon
During the pursuit, the suspect's vehicle crashed into two other cars off Emerald Drive, the article notes. No injuries were reported from that collision or from the chase overall. The pursuit ultimately came to an end near westbound State Route 78 and Jefferson Road in Oceanside.
Potential Charges Pile Up
If the robbery allegation holds, the suspect would face a straight felony under Penal Code § 211, which also counts as a strike under California's Three Strikes Law and carries a potential state prison term of two, three, or five years, per Bulldog Law. Robbery convictions in California cannot be reduced to misdemeanors.
Fleeing from deputies could add another charge on top of that. Under Vehicle Code § 2800.2, evading law enforcement with willful or wanton disregard for public safety is a wobbler offense that can bring up to three years in state prison along with mandatory vehicle impoundment, according to Cron Israels and Stark. Prosecutors would need to show the driver acted with intentional disregard for safety while fleeing marked patrol units.
Vista Station Leadership
Captain David LaDieu took over leadership of the Vista Station in August.
This incident is still developing.
