Man in custody after chase
Driver booked on suspicion of stealing vehicle
One person is in custody following a high-speed police chase through Wellton Tuesday night.
According to Sgt. Davis Rodriguez, a spokesperson for the Wellton Police Department, the incident began at approximately 8:35 p.m. when an officer spotted a vehicle speeding southbound on William Street and County 11th Street.
Rodriguez said the officer, who had been traveling in the opposite direction, then turned around and activated his lights and siren in an attempt to initiate a traffic stop on the vehicle.
As the officer got closer to the vehicle, Rodriguez said he recognized that it matched the description of a vehicle that had been reported stolen by the Yuma County Sheriff’s Office earlier in his shift.
“At this time, the driver accelerated and a vehicle chase ensued,” Rodriguez said.
In an attempt to elude the officer, the driver of the vehicle got onto Interstate 8, where speeds reached as much as 100 mph and headed east through the mountains, until coming to the Dome Valley exit, where he got back off.
Once back on county roads, Rodriguez said the driver of the fleeing vehicle then drove back through the town of Wellton, ignoring all posted speed limit and stop signs.
Rodriguez said the driver continued east until finally coming to a complete stop
at Avenue 40E and County 6th Street after the front passenger tire came off the rim.
“When the tire dismounted from the wheel it pretty much disabled the vehicle,” Rodriguez said.
The Wellton police officer, with the assistance of Border Patrol and the Yuma County Sheriff’s Office, then approached the vehicle and took the driver into custody without incident.
The driver, identified as 23-year-old Juan Isai Uriate, of Wellton, was booked
into the Yuma County jail on suspicion of theft of means of transportation, unlawful flight from pursuing law enforcement and endangerment.
Uriate, who is being held on $50,000 bond, is scheduled to return to Wellton Justice Court at 10 a.m. on Friday for his arraignment, at which time he will be informed of the charges, if any, being filed against him.