Hayward Police Identify Suspect In Wild Carjacking And Chase
HAYWARD (CBS SF) -- Police in Hayward have identified the man who led officers on a chase through multiple cities before finally getting caught last week as 29-year-old Mathew Quiles.
The Alameda County District Attorney's Office has charged Quiles with carjacking, robbery, kidnapping, two charges of vehicle theft, felony evading and hit and run. The charges will include several enhancements.
Quiles, a Hayward resident, was taken into custody the afternoon of September 28 after the wild police pursuit that had the suspect driving on freeway shoulders and speeding down full city blocks on the wrong side of the street.
The chase started shortly before noon Thursday as Lafayette police officers investigated a possible stolen vehicle at a Lunardi's supermarket parking lot at Palos Verdes Mall in Walnut Creek.
Contra Costa County Sheriff's spokesman Jimmy Lee said the suspect in a burgundy Chevrolet Equinox fled after spotting the officers then headed south on Interstate 680, exiting in Danville.
RAW VIDEO: End of East Bay Police Chase, Carjacking
Deputies and San Ramon police officers chased the suspect along San Ramon Valley Boulevard as the pursuit raced through streets of Danville, San Ramon and Castro Valley, hitting at least one car in the process.
The driver roared through stop signs and traffic lights -- driving on the wrong side of the street at one point -- swerving to avoid collisions with other drivers.
The driver eventually drove onto southbound Interstate 880, driving mostly on the shoulder of the freeway before exiting in Hayward.
In Hayward, the suspect came to a busy intersection with traffic stopped. He sideswiped a white BWM convertible, leaped into the car and carjacked it, forcing the BMW driver to drive him away.
"I was freaked out," said the BMW driver, who called himself Nathan and said the suspect did not have a gun but threatened him if he didn't comply.
A short distance later, with several police cars in pursuit, the driver of the BMW pulled over and both men surrendered to police.
"I seen the cops and I pulled over because I didn't want to be involved," said Nathan, who was driving the car for the dealership he works for. "[The suspect] tried to tell me to go, he just kept telling me to go and I said, 'Nah, I'm good.'"