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Crash ends high-speed police pursuit
Suspect said he ran because he thought someone was trying to steal his car
Ceres Cop Car

A 28-year-old Modesto man was arrested Saturday afternoon after he blew through a red traffic light in front of a Ceres patrolman and would not stop after being pursued at high rates of speed.

Oscar Bozada-Morales told police that he was speeding and driving erratically because someone was trying to steal his car, and explained that he did not see the officer chasing him.

The incident began at 3:39 p.m. when Officer Lorenzo Beltran saw a grey sedan speeding westbound in the middle turn lane on Whitmore Avenue to shoot past vehicles stopped for the red light at Whitmore and Third Street. Beltran pursued the car with emergency lights and siren activated and saw it cross over into the oncoming lanes as it approached Central Avenue and run a second red light.

The chase continued down Whitmore Avenue as Bozada-Morales continued speeding, running red lights and driving in oncoming lanes until it made a right turn onto northbound Morgan Road. The pursuit approached South Seventh Street when the suspect crashed the car at the curve at Morgan Road and Seventh Street, sending forth a large cloud of dust. Bozada-Morales fled on foot and hid in a residential backyard where he was apprehended by Officer Ross Bays.

Bozada-Morales was booked into the County Jail for reckless driving, evading a police officer, and driving on a suspended license.