(A trail of dirt and leaves show the path the suspect’s car left where it plowed into a hillside, shot across Market Street and down into a ravine Monday. Photo by Tarmo Hannula/Pajaronian)
SANTA CRUZ — Santa Cruz Police arrested two adults and two juveniles Monday following a brief car chase and a foot pursuit.
Around 6:45 p.m. police got several calls about a man that was clutching a woman by the throat and was pulling her into a vehicle. Another person reported the driver was assaulting the female in a car near Second and Main streets, said Lt. Warren Barry.
As police approached the intersection, one officer spotted the four-door Lexus traveling near Ocean and Water streets. As the officer attempted to stop the car, the driver refused to pull over and fled, Barry said.
The driver swung onto Market Street and dashed off hoping to evade the officer. As the 17-year-old male driver raced up Market Street, he lost control within a mile and plowed into a hillside of loose dirt. The impact pitched the car back onto the roadway, across both lanes, over the ledge of a ravine and into a clutch of trees and brush.
There the driver and his three passengers took off on foot through a wooded area toward a creek bed near Market Street and Stoney Creek.
With the assistance of the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office, the four occupants were eventually located. One of the occupants was injured in the crash and was treated at the hospital.
The driver was charged with failure to yield, and hit-and-run with injury.
Israel Flores, 21, was charged with a parole hold.
A 17-year-old female was arrested for public intoxication and delaying a police officer.
Alyssa Bradley, 20, was arrested for public intoxication and delaying a police officer.
Anyone with information is asked to call Investigations at 420-5820.
