Car chase from Cupertino to San Jose ends with teen’s arrest

SAN JOSE >> A police attempt to pull over speeding drivers in Cupertino escalated into a car chase to San Jose that ended with the arrest of a 17-year-old boy July 16, according to the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office. But as clear-cut as that might sound, it’s not certain that the person arrested was involved in the initial chase, or was just coincidentally speeding in the view of deputies who had just lost track of their target. Deputies were patrolling in Cupertino near Stevens Creek Boulevard and Blaney Avenue at 4:08 a.m. when they tried to stop two vehicles that “were speeding and running red lights,” and ended up pursuing an SUV, sheriff’s Sgt. Michael Low wrote in a statement. The pursuit made its way to Bird Avenue near downtown San Jose, where deputies lost sight of the vehicle they were chasing, Low said. Around the same time, a blue Nissan was seen speeding in the area. Since they were already there, the deputies started chasing that vehicle, which took them to North 10th Street just south of Interstate 880, Low said. The Nissan hit a parked car, after which the driver ditched the vehicle. The driver, a 17-year-old boy, was found in the backyard of an adjacent mobile home park and surrendered peacefully, Low said, adding that the Nissan the boy was driving was reported stolen. The teen suspect was arrested on suspicion of vehicle theft, possessing burglary tools — a shaved key — hit and run, and evading police. Low said the boy was on juvenile probation for similar offenses and was taken to Juvenile Hall. There was no immediate evidence linking the teen to the original chase, though the incident remains under investigation.