A Gilroy resident believed to be a gang member has been arrested
by Gilroy police officers and is being held on $500,000 bail after
a pursuit during which a Gilroy officer was injured, less than a
month after eluding police in a similar situation in Morgan
Hill.
Gilroy – A Gilroy resident believed to be a gang member has been arrested by Gilroy police officers and is being held on $500,000 bail after a pursuit during which a Gilroy officer was injured, less than a month after eluding police in a similar situation in Morgan Hill.
Efren Fregoso, 36, was recently arrested and booked into Santa Clara County Jail for allegedly resisting arrest and causing injury to an officer, according to Morgan Hill police Cmdr. David Swing. Other charges and the exact date of his arrest were unavailable as Gilroy police did not return calls by presstime.
Swing said Fregoso was once again involved in a chase, and one of the officer involved fell, injuring his knee, but Fregoso was eventually captured.
In the earlier Morgan Hill incident, Fregoso was driving a BMW in Morgan Hill the morning of June 6 when he allegedly ran a red light in the area of Condit Road and East Dunne Avenue. Morgan Hill police officer Joe Burdick attempted to pull Fregoso over, but after pulling into the parking lot of the McDonald’s restaurant on Condit Road, the BMW allegedly sped out without stopping, taking the northbound U.S. 101 entrance ramp.
Once on the highway, Fregoso drove dangerously, Swing said, weaving in and out of traffic, at times passing vehicles on the shoulder of the road, reaching speeds in excess of 120mph, with Burdick in pursuit.
Because of the potential of danger to other drivers, Swing said, Burdick ended the pursuit. He was approximately a quarter of a mile behind the BMW.
Fregoso exited the highway at Cochrane Road, turning left to go west on Cochrane. Apparently, he had difficulty making the turn and smashed the BMW into a traffic signal, knocking it into the roadway.
Continuing on Cochrane Road, Fregoso then turned onto Sutter Boulevard and pulled into the parking lot of North Coast Medical, Inc. He then abandoned the badly-damaged 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.
Swing said Thursday that officers did locate a witness who saw Fregoso getting out of the BMW when he abandoned it.
“His bail was enhanced to $500,000, and this may even put him under the three strikes consideration,” he added. .
