Police Blotter: Piedmont Police Pursuit of Stolen Car Reaches 100 MPH on I-580

Incidents highlighted in the blotter were recorded in the Piedmont Police Department log from noon on Nov. 22 through noon, Nov. 25. Not all incidents recorded in the log are included here. Information was supplied by the police and does not indicate any convictions.

A police pursuit that began near the corner of Grand Avenue and Mandana Boulevard early Monday morning reached a speed of 100 mph and led to the recovery of a stolen car when the chase ended in West Berkeley, a Piedmont Police Department spokesperson said.

Capt. Scott Wyatt said PPD Officer Joe Garcia noticed the suspicious vehicle about 12:30 a.m. and asked a police dispatcher to check the license plate number.

The car, a 1993 Toyota Camry sedan, had been reported stolen, and Garcia continued to follow the car while waiting for backup from fellow officers, Wyatt said.

When backup arrived, Garcia attempted to pull over the Camry, but the driver wouldn't stop and headed onto I-580 westbound, Wyatt said.

By the time the stolen car reached the University Avenue off-ramp in Berkeley, it was traveling 100 mph, the police report said.

The driver stopped the stolen car on the frontage road near the corner of Hearst Avenue, jumped out and fled on foot, according to the report.

Officers ran after the driver — who was wearing a Chicago Bulls jacket, jeans and a baseball cap — but lost sight of him about six minutes later, police said. Police searched the area, including the grounds of local businesses, for nearly a half hour but failed to find the man.

The stolen Camry was towed to a storage yard.

Garcia was assisted by PPD Sgt. Robert Wells and Officer Todd Mather and by the California Highway Patrol and the Berkeley Police Department, Wyatt said.

FRIDAY, NOV. 22

DUI arrest — One person was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated after a traffic stop on Wildwood Avenue at 3:12 p.m.

Traffic hazard — Police assisted a motorist who was having car trouble and whose vehicle was creating a traffic hazard near the corner of Grand Avenue and Lower Grand about 7:40 p.m. The vehicle was moved to the side of the road.

SATURDAY, NOV. 23

Traffic light — A traffic signal on Oakland Avenue was malfunctioning about 6:30 p.m. but was put back in working order within a half hour.

SUNDAY, NOV. 24

Vandalism — A window of a vehicle parked on Nova Drive was damaged.

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