A 44-year-old Ceres man who allegedly stole a car made a reckless one-minute escape attempt after he had been pulled over by police Tuesday evening, May 14.

At 7:44 p.m., Officers Kao Saechao and Hector Pulido were dispatched to the area of Collins Road and Don Pedro Avenue where the owner of the car reported it had just been stolen and was spotted in the parking lot of Al’s Oasis.

Officers arrived to find the car in the parking lot with Sergio Rios, 44, of Ceres, in the driver seat. Officers approached the light blue 1991 Nissan pickup and Rios started the ignition. Both officers began giving verbal commands for Rios to stop and exit the vehicle but he drove off northbound on Collins Road. The officers ran to their patrol vehicle and chased Rios on surface streets in the neighborhood. Rios spun the pickup at Laurel Avenue and Collins Road, ending up in a northwest direction. Rios put the vehicle in reverse to drive southbound on Collins Road and then made a 180 degree turn on Collins Road, causing the front left wheel to become damaged. Rios drove toward Laurel Avenue with rear tires spinning. The damaged front wheel allowed Rios to only move a short distance before it stopped on the west side of Collins Road near Laurel Avenue next to a chain-link fence. Officers jumped out with guns drawn and ordered Rios out of the pickup. He refused so Officer Saechao attempted to open the passenger door but it to be locked and the driver door was up against the fence. Officer Saecho used his baton to break the passenger window and open the door. Rios was removed and handcuffed. 

Rios was booked into the Public Safety Center on multiple charges including vehicle theft, evading a police officer, possession of burglary tools and probation violations.