An attempted traffic stop Wednesday morning led to a high speed
chase, a crash and unsuccessful search for the driver.
Morgan Hill – An attempted traffic stop Wednesday morning led to a high speed chase, a crash and unsuccessful search for the driver.
Morgan Hill police officer Joe Burdick was patrolling the area of East Dunne Avenue and U.S. 101 for traffic enforcement, when he saw the driver of a black BMW run a red light at the northbound exit ramp from the highway onto East Dunne Avenue, according to Morgan Hill police Cmdr. Dave Swing.
Burdick attempted to stop the BMW, and the driver pulled into the parking lot of the McDonald’s restaurant on Condit Road.
“But he didn’t stop, he drove around the back side of the restaurant, then accelerated out of the parking lot and took the northbound on-ramp back onto 101,” Swing said.
Once on the highway again, he weaved in an out of traffic, at times passing vehicles on the shoulder of the road, reaching speeds in excess of 120mph, with Burdick in pursuit, Swing said.
Because of the danger potential to other drivers, Swing said, Burdick ended the pursuit. He was approximately a quarter of a mile behind the BMW.
The driver of the BMW exited again, this time at Cochrane Road, turning left to go west on Cochrane. Apparently the driver had difficulty making the turn and smashed into a traffic signal, knocking it into the roadway.
“It’s not really clear what happened, but the left rear tire of the vehicle is shredded, the rubber is off, the rim of the left front tire is bent,” Swing said. “The pole apparently impacted the left front of the vehicle, and the right side looks like it bounced off the curb.”
The driver pulled into the parking lot of North Coast Medical, Inc., on Sutter Boulevard and abandoned the BMW. Morgan Hill police dispatchers received information that he was fleeing the area on foot.
Although officers responded to the area, they were unable to locate the suspect.
When the registered owner of the BMW was located through the license plate, she told officers that Efren Fregoso, 36, of Gilroy had the car. Items that may link Fregoso to the vehicle were found inside the BMW.
Fregoso has an outstanding warrant out of the Gilroy Police Department.
Swing said Fregoso could have let someone else borrow the car, so police are asking anyone who knows Fregoso’s whereabouts or saw Fregoso in the vehicle, driving the vehicle or getting out of the vehicle to contact Burdick at
408-779-2101.
