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Ripon Pursuit Ends Safely

On 05-31-17, at 1:53 PM, Ripon officers were engaged in the pursuit of a silver 1999 Honda Civic involving a driver displaying a wanton disregard for the safety of the motoring public.

The suspects in the vehicle had reportedly been stealing a number of items from the Chevron gas station located at 1442 W. Colony Rd. Ripon officers also received a report indicating the driver of the suspect vehicle could be intoxicated. Within minutes Ripon officers arrived on scene and they attempted to stop the suspects.

The suspect vehicle sped away from the scene at a high rate of speed and violently crashed into a landscape boulder, causing the passenger side of the vehicle to become airborne for a short distance. The suspects fled north bound on Highway 99 in the damaged Honda. At one point, the Honda stopped and a female passenger fled on foot over a retaining fence into a local orchard near Olive Rd. The damaged suspect vehicle continued north bound on Highway 99 for a short distance. When it came to rest, the male driver and female passenger were taken into custody without incident.

Ripon officers set up a perimeter around the orchard where the third suspect fled. A local farmer spotted the fleeing suspect on his property. He detained her and called the police. Ripon officers immediately converged on the suspect’s location and she was taken into custody without incident.

Officers located stolen property and edged weapons in the vehicle. One of the female suspects was found to have suspected heroin, narcotics paraphernalia and a large knife concealed on her person.

The driver, Ruben Jimmy Gomez (18) of Modesto was booked into the San Joaquin County Jail on charges that included: hit and run with injury, driving while under the influence, evasion, child endangerment with injury and shoplifting.

The passenger located in the vehicle was found to be a 16 year old Modesto resident. She was released to her social worker on a citation for possession of a controlled substance, possession of controlled substance paraphernalia, and resisting arrest.

The passenger who fled on foot, Alexis Ann Nelson (20) of Modesto was released on a citation for shoplifting and resisting arrest.

The Ripon Police Department is working closely with the Modesto Police Department regarding a report that the same suspect vehicle could be involved in a hit and run case in Modesto earlier that day.

Police Department spokesperson Lieutenant Steve Merchant said the close cooperation between local citizens, business operators and the police department were the keys to the successful arrest of these suspects.

P.I.O.-Lieutenant Steve Merchant Ripon Police Department 259 N. Wilma Ave. Ripon, CA 95366 209-599-2102 Business 209-599-0262 Desk 209-599-4034 FAX [email protected]