Video: Dramatic End To Police Chase, Carjacking On Hayward Street
HAYWARD (CBS SF) -- The police pursuit of a stolen vehicle suspect through East Bay cities and highways ended with a carjacking and arrest on a Hayward street Thursday afternoon.
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.'"
Hayward police did not immediately identify the suspect and it was not clear why the suspect led police on a chase.