May 20, 2008 9:16 am US/Pacific
Stolen Van Suspect Caught In Antioch Police Chase
ANTIOCH (BCN) ―
Antioch police Monday arrested a 27-year-old man after he allegedly drove a stolen van in a high-speed pursuit through city streets, according to the Police Department.
A patrol unit received notification from its LoJack system that a stolen vehicle was in the area around 2:50 p.m., police said.
The officer could not locate the vehicle, but a California Highway Patrol helicopter that also received the LoJack notification located the 2003 Toyota van and notified Pittsburg police that the stolen van was driving in the city.
The van had been reported stolen to Antioch police earlier Monday, police said.
Pittsburg police briefly pursued the van until it passed back into Antioch, allegedly traveling recklessly at a high rate of speed through traffic lights, police reported. The van then sideswiped a vehicle on Hillcrest Avenue before continuing to Lone Tree Way, police said.
The van finally ran a red light at the intersection of Lone Tree Way and Empire Avenue, colliding with a 2006 Dodge pickup truck, police said. Both the van and the pickup truck were totaled, according to police.
The driver of the stolen vehicle, Antioch resident Alfred Noblitt, allegedly fled the crash on foot before struggling with police and being taken into custody, police said. He was transported to a hospital with injuries and arrested on suspicion of vehicle theft, evading police, hit-and-run and a parole violation.
The van's owner does not know Noblitt, police said.
The driver of the pickup truck, Oakley resident Juan Ramos, was
transported to an area hospital with non-life threatening injuries, according to police.
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