2 Arrested After Police Vehicle Rammed During Union City Chase
UNION CITY (CBS SF) -- Officers arrested two people early Wednesday morning in Union City after the pair led officers on a vehicle chase, which began when the driver allegedly rammed a police car, according to police.
Around 3:25 a.m., an officer noticed a suspicious vehicle driving slow on Silvertide Drive near Maritime Loop, police said.
The officer believed the people inside the vehicle were casing the neighborhood.
A records check revealed the car had a stolen license plate attached to it. The car then pulled into a driveway, as the police car followed.
When the officer gave the driver orders, the driver initially complied. The driver however, suddenly put the car into reverse, allegedly backing into the police car, according to police.
The officer was able to back up to prevent significant damage from the crash, however the suspect still allegedly struck the police car's front bumper. The officer was not injured and the patrol car sustained only minor damage, police said.
The car then allegedly fled and a chase ensued, going into neighboring Fremont.
Once in Fremont, the suspect crashed into a concrete barrier on Ardenwood Boulevard near Commerce Drive, causing the car to stop.
The male driver and a female passenger both allegedly tried to run from the scene, but officers were able to apprehend them, according to police.
The crashed car briefly caught fire, however firefighters responded to the scene and put out the blaze.
Inside the car, officers allegedly found numerous stolen items, including purses, wallets, personal identification cards, electronic equipment, credit cards and a collection of military medals, among other things, police said.
After an investigation, officers were allegedly able to link the pair to several recent burglaries in the area. Officers also determined the military medals had been taken from a storage unit in Fremont and belonged to a victim's deceased brother.
The suspects were identified as 23-year-old transient Albert Balucan and 36-year-old Union City resident Ma Onia, according to police.
Officers arrested both suspects for assault on an officer, possession of a stolen vehicle, possession of stolen property, evading officers, fleeing from a collision and resisting arrest, police said.
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