Hollister
– The San Benito County Sheriff’s Office arrested a local man
after he allegedly fled a non-injury hit and run, led law
enforcement officers on a high-speed pursuit and attempted to run a
patrol car off the road late Friday night.
Hollister – The San Benito County Sheriff’s Office arrested a local man after he allegedly fled a non-injury hit and run, led law enforcement officers on a high-speed pursuit and attempted to run a patrol car off the road late Friday night.
Jose Manuel Soberanis, 22, of Hollister, was arrested for an alleged misdemeanor hit and run, felony evading police and felony assault with a deadly weapon. Soberanis allegedly hit another vehicle with his Ford Explorer in the 400 block of Tres Pinos Road and then fled the scene, said Officer Rosie Betanio, a spokeswoman for the Hollister Police Department. Soberanis then led law enforcement officers on a wild chase, crossing the city limits of Hollister several times, swerving at a sheriff deputy’s patrol car and ending at Sunset and Hillock on Airline Highway, officials said.
After allegedly hitting another vehicle, Soberanis fled westbound on Tres Pinos and ran a stoplight to head northbound on San Benito Street. Deputy Ralph Morden began pursuit of Soberanis along with a police department patrol car, according to officials.
Soberanis’ Explorer exceeded 50 mph through downtown Hollister, running red lights at the intersections of South Street and Fifth Street on San Benito Street, according to officials. Once the chase neared Santa Ana Road, several other patrol cars joined in pursuit. Soberanis then turned westbound onto Wright Road to get back on Highway 25, heading south into town.
Once the chase went into town again, police patrol cars stopped their pursuit, Betanio said. Police Captain Bob Brooks said it is up to the police patrol supervisor on-duty to determine if the chase should continue when there is a possibility that citizens could be injured.
“Deputy Soto, Uribe and I received permission to continue the pursuit southbound on San Felipe,” said Deputy Morden in an incident report.
Deputies lost contact with the Explorer at the intersection of the San Benito Extension and Union Road. Deputy Morden searched eastbound Union Road while Deputy Matt Soto searched eastbound Union Road with his K-9 German Shepherd partner Dix, according to officials.
As Soto searched Union Road, Soberanis swerved at his patrol car, crossing a double yellow line and forcing Soto onto the shoulder of the road, according to the incident report. Soto then picked up the pursuit, joined by Deputy Morden.
Soberanis then turned northbound onto Airline Highway where the car shut down on westbound Sunset Drive and Hillock Drive. Soberanis surrendered to deputies without further incident.
Officials believe alcohol may have been involved in the incident.
No one was injured in the accident, and once in custody Soberanis asked Morden if the “kid was all right,” and if Morden had seen the vehicle involved in the collision.
Soberanis has no prior offenses, according to San Benito County jail personnel.
Soberanis was released Saturday from San Benito County jail to a bondsman on $57,000 bail. If convicted of assault with a deadly weapon, Soberanis could face up to four years in prison.
Michael Van Cassell covers public safety for the Free Lance. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 335, or [email protected].
