Five Hollister teens were arrested for what police believe is a
gang-related assault after an attempted vandalism escalated into
the teens attempting to run over a pair of Hollister residents.
Hollister – Five Hollister teens were arrested for what police believe is a gang-related assault after an attempted vandalism escalated into the teens attempting to run over a pair of Hollister residents.
The incident culminated with a high-speed chase through town Saturday morning, according to police.
Jorge Arias, 19, Issacc Sanchez, 19, and Sarah Vargas, 18, were arrested Saturday for felony assault with a deadly weapon and participating in a criminal street gang after fleeing from police and finally being taken into custody by San Benito County Sheriff’s deputies. A 16 and 17-year-old Hollister male were also arrested, however their names and charges are not released because they are juveniles.
Police responded to an address on Suiter Street just before 2am after residents in the home looked out their window to discover four Hispanic males and one female standing in their front yard holding bricks and rocks, said Hollister Police spokesman George Ramirez.
The residents, who were awake during the early morning hours because they were on their way to the airport, told police they had been vandalized before, so two of the residents ran outside and began chasing the intruders, Ramirez said.
Ramirez said the suspects shouted gang names “Norte” and “Westside” and threw the rocks and bricks at the residents and the home, breaking one window, . Four of the suspects were able to escape, but the residents captured Vargas and held her down until police arrived.
However, the 16-year-old, who police believe was driving the get-away car, tried to run the residents over with a car while they had Vargas restrained, Ramirez said. The two people had to jump out of the way and hide behind a telephone pole to avoid being run over, and the 16-year-old smashed the car into the pole, damaging it, Ramirez said.
Although the residents were still able to hold Vargas until police arrived, the four other suspects fled in their vehicle onto Nash Road, where they almost collided with two sheriff’s deputies responding to the residence to assist Hollister police, said sheriff’s Lt. Pat Turturici. The suspects were driving in the oncoming lane and the deputy had to swerve to avoid a head-on collision, Turturici said.
The deputies attempted to pull the car over. When the driver failed to respond deputies chased the car all the way to San Juan/Watsonville Road, where California Highway Patrol officers had set up a spike strip at the railroad crossing which deflated all four tires and halted the suspects’ escape, Turturici said.
All five were arrested, and Sanchez, Arias and Vargas were booked into the San Benito County jail, where they remain in custody in lieu of $30,000 bail, according to jail personnel.
Erin Musgrave covers public safety for the Free Lance. Reach her at 637-5566, ext. 336 or [email protected]
