A police chase that began at an illegal drag race ended in a
fiery explosion and the arrest of a Hollister man Saturday,
according to the California Highway Patrol.
Hollister – A police chase that began at an illegal drag race ended in a fiery explosion and the arrest of a Hollister man Saturday, according to the California Highway Patrol.
There were at least 150 cars at the illegal race on San Justo Road Saturday night, but San Benito County Sheriff’s deputies singled out and chased Moises Ruiz, 20, when he made an illegal turn in front of one of them. The chase, which reached speeds of up to 130 mph, ended when Ruiz crashed into the overpass at Sargent’s overcrossing on U.S. 101.
The force of the impact split Ruiz’s modified 1994 Honda Civic in half and caused it to burst into flames minutes after the driver hopped out unscathed, according to the CHP. Ruiz was arrested for recklessly evading police, CHP Officer Matt Ramirez said.
The incident began at San Justo Road where racers were lined up bumper to bumper, according to officials. Illegal racing in souped-up cars, popular in Santa Clara County, now is a growing problem in San Benito County, said sheriff’s Lt. Pat Turturici. The drivers of at least 150 cars were either participants or spectators in the illegal speed contest underway at around 12:40am Saturday.
Ruiz was among the drivers when he was spotted by deputies. He wove in and out of the lines of cars, accelerating as he drove, Turturici said. By the time he got to Highway 129, he was traveling at speeds up to 130 mph, Turturici said.
While Ruiz was weaving in and out of traffic, several sheriff’s deputies in pursuit asked the CHP for assistance and officers placed a spike strip at Highway 101 and Monterey Road to stop the speeding vehicle, Ramirez said.
But about five miles before reaching the strip, Ruiz lost control and collided with the side of a rail overcrossing just south of Highway 25, Ramirez said.
A sheriff’s deputy was about 100 yards behind Ruiz, and when he pulled up to the totaled car, Ruiz was sitting on the curb in front of his vehicle with his driver’s license on the ground next to him, Turturici said.
“He made the spontaneous statement, ‘I was just trying to get away,'” Turturici said.
Because the car’s fuel lines broke in the crash, the Honda burst into flames minutes after sheriff’s deputies took Ruiz into custody, Ramirez said.
“The car succumbed to its injuries at the scene,” he said.
Ruiz was booked into the San Benito County Jail in lieu of $35,986 bail for felony recklessly evading police and misdemeanor reckless driving. Ruiz bailed out later that day, according to jail personnel.
Ramirez said illegal racing is a growing problem in rural parts of San Benito County near San Justo and Bixby roads.
Because the area is largely unpopulated and has long straight-aways with open fields on both sides, Ramirez said it’s the perfect spot for residents with a need for speed.
He said illegal racing is very popular in Santa Clara, but San Benito is now starting to see its share of speed demons. Turturici said the races happen all over the county and the sheriff’s department is planning on working with the CHP to curb the problem.
“These cars are really hopped up,” he said. “They’re putting in these high-performance engines and it’s starting to be a real problem.”
Erin Musgrave covers public safety for the Free Lance. Reach her at 637-5566, ext. 336 or [email protected]
