Two Ceres teenagers who were involved in early Saturday morning donut-spinning prior to a hit and run crash tried covering up their misdeeds by claiming the car was stolen – but police weren’t having any of it.

Police were dispatched at 1:48 a.m. to 1917 Jupiter Court after a car hit a parked car in a driveway and three occupants fled on foot southbound. Sgt. Vince Hooper located the vehicle, a 2013 grey BMW 550I, which had hit a fence and parked vehicle in the driveway of 1916 Jupiter Court. The abandoned BMW was registered to an owner at a nearby address in the 3700 block of Standing Oak Lane. 

Officers saw burn marks in the middle of the court which led to where the BMW was and detected a smell of burnt rubber in the air. They surmised that the vehicle had been spinning donuts in the court when the driver lost control and hit the parked vehicle and fence.

A short time later, dispatchers advised the owner of the BMW called to state someone had stolen his vehicle and they were chasing him. Sgt. Hooper found the car’s owner, Kevin San, 19, of Ceres, and another teen near Eastgate Boulevard and Mira Sol Drive. As the teen attempted to say his vehicle was stolen, Sgt. Vince Hooper found the electronic key to the BMW in San’s pocket. 

Officers learned that San was a passenger while his car was being driven recklessly by his friend, Erick Espindola, 19, of Ceres, prior to the crash. After the collision San, Espindola, and an unidentified female fled on foot. 

San was booked into the Public Safety Center for hit and run, falsifying a police report, and reckless driving.

Espindola was located the next day and confessed to being the driver. A criminal complaint is being filed with the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office against Espindola for hit and run and reckless driving.