A wrong way driver, a San Joaquin County chop shop and stolen vehicle recoveries topped the list of cases handled recently by the California Highway Patrol.
The #ICYMI feature is a roundup of notable incidents involving CHP officers throughout the state.
Wrong-Way Crash
Two CHP officers were injured on March 13 when a wrong-way driver crashed head-on, at a high rate of speed, into their stopped patrol vehicle along the shoulder of Interstate 80 in Davis. The intentional act was caught on camera by a passing motorist and made public. The officers, who were wearing their seatbelts, suffered minor to major injuries. The suspect was taken into custody.
Undercover Sting Operations
In the ongoing efforts to combat crime in Oakland and the East Bay, the CHP made 168 arrests and recovered 360 stolen vehicles as part of undercover sting operations. Suspects were arrested by the CHP for charges including possession of stolen property, auto theft, transportation of narcotics, DUI, and felony gun possession, as well as arrests for outstanding warrants. The arrests were a result of undercover operations and uniformed patrol and were carried out in coordination with allied local law enforcement agencies in recent weeks.
Suspected Chop Shop
The San Joaquin County Auto Theft Task Force, comprised of the CHP, San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office, San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office, Stockton Police Department, Tracy Police Department, Manteca Police Department, and the San Joaquin County Probation Department, identified three suspects after the execution of a residential search warrant at a rural property in unincorporated San Joaquin County near Tracy. During the search, the Task Force recovered 12 stolen vehicles, at varying stages of being dismantled, with an estimated dollar value loss of over $600,000. Three suspects were arrested and charged with operating a “chop shop” and stolen vehicle possession.
Retail Crime Task Force
The CHP continues its effort to fight organized retail crime in California. Results released recently show that in the first two months of 2024, the CHP’s Organized Retail Crime Task Force has been involved in 118 investigations, resulting in 333 arrests, and the recovery of nearly 153,000 assets valued close to $3.7 million.
Season Finale Of ‘Cadets’
The season finale of the CHP-produced docuseries Cadets was released on March 13. Episode 9 finds the class of CHP cadets nearing the end of their six-month training at the CHP Academy and the much-anticipated graduation day, where they will be sworn in as officers. The show encompasses the range of emotions the cadets experience leading up to the moment they receive their badges. Upon reflection, the cadets get a chance to discuss some of the takeaways they gained during their time at the Academy and what they expect leading up to reporting to the Area offices in which they are assigned. Since the series premiered two months ago, it has received nearly 330,000 views across the nine episodes on the CHP’s YouTube page. To apply or learn more about becoming a CHP officer visit www.chpmadeformore.com
