Suspect Arrested: Orinda Shelter In Place Order Lifted

LAMORINDA, CA — A police chase and crash, with the suspect running away on foot, led to a shelter-in-place order in Orinda Monday. The suspect was found hiding in a small barn about a quarter mile from the crash site, and was safely arrested.

The chaos began before noon when an attempted traffic stop in Moraga went horibly wrong, according to Moraga Police Chief Jon King.

"It started out as a reckless driving issue when one of my officers attempted to stop somebody on Moraga Way," King said.

Instead of pulling over, however, the suspect allegedly accelerated to speeds of up to 95 mph and started passing other vehicles on the right shoulder, King said.

The officer backed off the chase in the interest of safety and soon came upon the crashed car, he said, but the suspect was no where to be seen.

That's when Orinda Police issued a shelter-in-place order for the vicinity of Altamont Drive and La Cresta. The order was lifted about a half hour later.

Officers from Moraga, Orinda and Lafayette, as well as deputies from the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office helped look for the suspect.

The suspect was found at about 1:30 p.m.

When the shelter-in-place order was issued, police told residents, "Lock all windows and doors. Do not open your doors. Call 911 if you see suspicious activity."

The eyes of the public were a secret weapon for police.

"We got a number of calls from people," King said. "I can't say enough good things about the folks who called to provide information."

Police are still investigating the case, especially the reason the suspect fled. I

Bay City News contributed to this story