Edhat StaffSanta Maria Police have arrested a suspected carjacker who led a high-speed pursuit resulting in two injuries on Monday.
Jamie Gonzalez, 30, was arrested on several charges including evading police and causing injury, hit and run, resisting arrest, carjacking, and possibly driving under the influence pending an investigation.
Police responded several reports of blue Dodge sedan driving recklessly through Santa Maria around 11:33 a.m. with the driver possibly high on methamphetamine.
Through several starts and stops of the pursuit, California Highway Patrol and a Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s helicopter eventually joined and continued following Gonzalez on Highway 101 southbound where he exited off Beteravia Road onto Highway 135, according to the Santa Maria Police Department.
Gonzalez collided with a small bus used for transporting senior citizens at Union Valley Parkway and Orcutt Road around 1:30 p.m. He then exited the vehicle and attempted to carjack a vehicle before he was arrested.
Two people sustained minor injuries, the bus was empty at the time of the collision, reports the Santa Maria Police Department.
By edhat staff
Santa Maria Police were involved in a vehicle collision with two injuries on Monday afternoon.
At 1:30 p.m. Santa Barbara County firefighters responded to Union Valley Parkway and Orcutt Road in the Santa Maria Valley for a reported traffic accident. Upon arrival, they discovered police officers were involved in the collision.
There were two minor injuries. An investigation is underway into the cause of the collision.
Edhat will update this article with more information as soon as it’s available.
