Last Thursday evening (12/26/19) the community as a whole was attempting to enjoy the Christmas and holiday season. Regrettably, some individuals were not taking part in the season of giving and were forcefully taking. Fairfield Police Dispatch received two calls regarding two separate robberies moments apart. Both robberies occurred in the 3300 block of N Texas Street at businesses. Both victims called in quickly and provided crucial information to dispatchers who in turn provided it to officers.
While some officers were responding to the scenes to get facts, others began patrolling the area in an effort to locate the suspect vehicle. The victims’ described a white Toyota sedan missing the front bumper. Officers in the area quickly located a matching vehicle driving recklessly south on N Texas Street. Officers attempted to catch up to the vehicle, but based on the suspect’s unsafe driving and the amount of traffic present they could not keep up and discontinued their efforts to catch it.
Moments later officers located a 4-vehicle collision near Texas Street and Jackson Street. The two suspects had fled from the vehicle, but victims in the crash and other citizens pointed officers in the right direction. Officers set up a perimeter around the homes and businesses, and began a search for the suspects. With the assistance of a police K9, one of the suspects was located hiding to the rear of a business in the 600 block of Jackson Street. This suspect was taken into custody and later identified as Joseph Albert Gomez Jr, a 26-year-old male from Oakland. Gomez was taken to North Bay Medical Center for injuries during his attempted hiding from the K9, and later booked into the county jail.
Officers continued their search and found the second suspect in front of residences in the 800 block of Taylor Street. This suspect failed to comply with officers’ commands and feigned as if he had a weapon while telling officers to shoot him. Officers were able to subdue the subject with the use of a Taser and take him into custody avoiding the potential of an officer involved shooting. After medical clearance at the hospital, he too was booked in the county jail. This suspect was identified as Vicente Jimenez-Lopez, a 28-year-old male from Oakland.
The Toyota sedan these two suspects were in was determined to be stolen during a carjacking two days prior in Oakland. Both suspects were arrested on a variety of offenses to include robbery, battery on an officer, resisting an officer with force, possession of a stolen vehicle, and fleeing the scene of a collision. Jimenez-Lopez was found to have an outstanding warrant for the violation of his parole and was arrested on the warrant as well. Gomez was found to be on probation out of Alameda County and was additionally arrested for a violation of his probation.
Thank you to everyone who helped, from the victims to the alert citizens. Without you, we would not have been able to stop these two from continuing their crime spree.
Photos Attached
Gomez is wearing the hooded sweater with white draw strings
Jimenez-Lopez is wearing the collared shirt
