Speeds approach 100 mph through SM and Gilroy
A man driving a stolen car led Santa Clara County sheriff’s deputies on a weaving chase through San Martin and Gilroy streets Wednesday afternoon at speeds approaching 100 mph.
The man identified himself to deputies as Mario Rodriguez Lopez, 35, of Gilroy. He had no documents with him, so deputies will try to verify his identity through fingerprints, according to sheriff’s spokesman Terrance Helm.
The chase began at 3:31 p.m. in San Martin and ended at 3:50 on the south side of Christmas Hill Park in Gilroy, according to sheriff’s officials.
In those 19 minutes, Lopez led his pursuers down at least 15 different streets, according to talk on police radio frequencies: Church Avenue, Monterey Road and Fitzgerald Avenue in San Martin and Santa Teresa Boulevard, Mantelli Drive, Wren Avenue, Third Street, Rosanna Street, Ninth Street, Church Street, First Street, Hanna Street, Tenth Street, Welburn Avenue and Miller Avenue in Gilroy – racing down many of these streets multiple times.
He ran red lights and stop signs while trying to evade the officers. He came close to 100 mph on Santa Teresa Boulevard, and he raced through Gilroy neighborhoods at 60 to 65 mph, according to sheriff’s Sgt. Bill Scott.
Lopez finally stopped the white 1991 Toyota Camry at 3:48 p.m. at Santa Teresa and Miller after crashing into a median and a curb. He got out, jumped a chain-link fence and began sprinting east in the direction of Thomas Road. Sheriff’s deputies chased him from behind, but city police had headed him off from Thomas and got to him first.
At gunpoint, he submitted to arrest.
The Camry was reported stolen from San Jose on Feb. 28, according to Scott.
Lopez faces possible felony charges for auto theft and evading arrest and could face others. Deputies expressed suspicion that he might have been under the influence of alcohol and/or illegal drugs at the time.
No alcohol or drugs were found in the Camry, but deputies did find two knives, Scott said.
Also in the area where Lopez was arrested, deputies found a pipe like those used for smoking methamphetamine, Scott said.
The chase began at Church and Murphy avenues, just south of the San Martin airport. A patrolling deputy saw Lopez drinking alcohol while driving and tried to pull him over, according to Scott, but Lopez sped off instead.
Chief Photographer James M. Mohs contributed to this report.
Peter Crowley covers public safety for The Dispatch. You can reach him at pc******@************ch.com or 847-7109.
