Wednesday, July 16, 2008

PCSO Deputies Arrest Car Theft Suspects After Pursuit

On Sunday, July 13th, Pinal County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested Jose Urzua and Juan Nino, both 18 and from Queen Creek, after a pursuit.

At about 5:30 am on July 13th, PCSO responded to a stolen vehicle call on the 5000 block of East Santa Clara Drive in the Queen Creek area. After taking the report, officers spotted a black plume of smoke coming from the area of Skyline Road east of Schnepf Road. As they approached the scene, they observed a black car with four passengers speeding away from a burning vehicle.

Officers initiated a traffic stop, from which the vehicle fled, and a pursuit ensued, ending when the suspect vehicle came to a stop near Sierra Vista Road and Red Bird Lane. The driver and the front passenger remained in the vehicle while the two rear passengers fled on foot.

Both suspects who remained in the vehicle were taken into custody while additional PCSO officers searched for the suspects who fled the vehicle. The front passenger, 16, was later released. The driver, Jose Urzua, was transported to and booked into the Pinal County Adult Detention Facility on two felony charges of hindering prosecution and one felony charge of unlawful flight from law enforcement. One of the rear passengers, Juan Nino, was found and detained nearby and transported to and booked into the Pinal County Adult Detention Facility on one felony charge of arson and a felony charge of theft of a means of transportation.

A felony charging review has been submitted to the Pinal County Attorney’s Office on the fourth passenger for felony charges of arson and theft of a means of transportation.