Vallejo police chase on wrong side of I-80 ends in arrest

(KRON) — A man from Oakland was arrested on July 18 for allegedly leading police officers in a car chase on the wrong side of Interstate 80 in Vallejo around 6 p.m.

According to the Vallejo Police Department, an officer attempted to stop the driver of a black Dodge Charger on the 1100 block of Louisiana Street. The car was allegedly blocking the roadway on Overland Alley, had illegal tint and was missing a front license plate.

“As officers approached the vehicle and made eye contact with the driver, who was wearing a ski mask,” VPD said. “When the driver saw the officers, he put the Dodge in reverse and attempted to leave the alley in a hurry.”

The driver allegedly refused to pull over and drove onto the wrong side of I-80. With the driver threatening the safety of other people on the freeway, VPD officers successfully performed a PIT maneuver on the car, stopping the car and the suspect at the I-80 Georgia Street exit.

Officers searched the car and allegedly found a loaded handgun with a high-capacity magazine under the driver’s seat. Police determined that the gun was reported stolen out of Concord. The Dodger Charger was also reported stolen out of Oakland and had a rear license plate that was stolen from a different vehicle, VPD said.

“A backpack containing a car key reprogramming device, generic key fobs, and window punch tools was also located in the vehicle,” VPD said. “These items are commonly used in organized auto theft.”

At the time of the arrest, the suspect was out on bail for another police chase that involved a carjacking and the assault of a Berkeley Police Department officer, according to police. The man was also driving without a valid driver’s license.

The man was booked into the Solano County Jail for multiple felony charges, including possession of a stolen gun, auto theft and evading police. The car was towed from the scene.