On Thursday, May 5, 2016, at approximately 10:20 a.m. Fremont patrol officers pursued and arrested two suspects in Castro Valley who stole and fled in a Meals on Wheels truck after attempting to car-jack a female victim of her vehicle in Fremont.
Thursday morning at 10:18 a.m., Fremont Police dispatchers received a call from a victim of an attempt car-jacking in the Walnut Plaza (Walnut Ave and Liberty Street). The victim told dispatchers an unknown male, later identified as Reginald Nunn (45 year old Fremont resident), attempted to reach in her vehicle window and take her car. After the failed attempt, Nunn ran to the parking lot located behind City Hall (3300 Capitol Ave), and jumped into the driver’s seat of a Meals on Wheels truck being stocked with food by volunteers. His female companion, Latu Tapueluelu (33 years old, Fremont resident), jumped in the passenger seat and they locked the doors. The two suspects fled in the truck through the parking lot and in the direction of Capitol Ave.
A Fremont Police Sergeant was in the area and immediately saw the vehicle fleeing. The suspects led officers on a pursuit for approximately 12.5 miles at low to moderate speeds through the cities of Fremont, Union City, Hayward and Castro Valley. When road and traffic conditions were clear, a pursuit intervention technique (PIT) was used to disable the vehicle on the on-ramp of Interstate 580 and Redwood Rd. in Castro Valley. Nunn immediately got out of the vehicle with a bag and claimed he had a bomb. With the assistance of a Fremont Police K9, he was taken into custody and placed under arrest at approximately 10:40 a.m. No bomb was located. Tapueluelu was also placed under arrest by Fremont officers. Both suspects were transported to the hospital via ambulance to be treated for moderate non-life threatening injuries sustained during the incident and were later released and booked into Santa Rita Jail. No victims, third party motorists or police personnel were injured during the incident.
Reginald Nunn was booked on charges of attempt car-jacking (PC A215 A), resisting arrest (PC 148 A1), assaulting/willfully harming a police K9 (PC 600), auto theft (VC 10851), driving on a suspended license (VC 14601) and felony reckless evading (VC 2800.2).
Latu Tapueluelu was booked on charges of attempt car-jacking (PC A215 A), resisting arrest (PC 148 A1), auto theft (VC 10851) and felony reckless evading (VC 2800.2).
Nunn and Tapueluelu are scheduled for arraignment at the Fremont Superior Courthouse on May 9, 2016 at 2:00 p.m.
Press/Media: Please contact Public Affairs Manager Geneva Bosques at 510-790-6957 or email [email protected].
