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PURSUIT OF A STOLEN POLICE CAR

SUSPECT IN-CUSTODY
JOEL SOTO, HISPANIC MALE-52, LAST KNOWN ADDRESS: SHAFTER, CA

PASADENA, CA – At about 9:47 pm, Pasadena Police responded to IN N OUT Burgers located in the 2100 block of E. Foothill Blvd regarding a report of a Hispanic male suspect or White male suspect, 40-50 years old, blocking the driveway and threatening to shoot people. Officers located the suspect several blocks away at a business in the 2200 block of E. Foothill Blvd. The suspect struck a police car with a metal cylindrical object. Officers confronted the armed suspect and ordered the suspect to drop the objects/weapons and he refused. An Officer deployed a less lethal weapon which had minimal affect.

The suspect commandeered a police car and a vehicle pursuit ensued on surface streets traversing through Pasadena for a distance of approximately 8-miles and for duration of approximately 12-minutes. The only police units involved in the pursuit were Pasadena Police. At the intersection of Lake Avenue and Claremont Street, a pursuit intervention occurred where a police unit deliberately impacted the stolen police car terminating the vehicle pursuit.

The suspect exited the police car through the driver window and climbed on top of the police car. Officers deployed less-lethal weapons and the suspect was struck by a Taser (Conducted Electrical Weapon). The suspect jumped off of the roof of the police car and landed on his feet, at which point, he was taken into custody. The suspect was transported to a local hospital for treatment. The suspect is in stable condition and his injuries do not appear to be life threatening.

The suspect is facing charges of assault with a deadly weapon, criminal threats, grand theft auto, felony vandalism, and felony evading.

Preliminary Investigation & Subject to Change:
Follow-up Investigation revealed after the suspect threatened an employee (Victim #1) and customers at IN N OUT, the suspect assaulted a janitor (Victim #2) with a fire extinguisher at a business in the 2200 block of E. Foothill Blvd. The suspect threatened to kill the janitor (Victim #2) and proceeded to smash the front glass entry doors with the fire extinguisher. The suspect also threatened to kill another janitor (Victim #3) inside the business.

VICTIMS
VICTIM #1 HISPANIC MALE, 17-YEARS OLD, PASADENA RESIDENT
VICTIM #2 HISPANIC MALE, 36-YEARS OLD, BELLFLOWER RESIDENT
VICTIM #3 HISPANIC MALE, 29-YEARS OLD, INGLEWOOD RESIDENT

The victims reported no injuries and Police Personnel reported no injuries.