Teens Lead Cops On Chase In Carjacked SUV: American Canyon PD

AMERICAN CANYON, CA — Two Solano County teens who were driving around in an SUV carjacked in San Francisco were arrested Tuesday in a pursuit through American Canyon, police said.

The incident started around 2:40 p.m. when an American Canyon police officer spotted a black 2015 Ford SUV traveling southbound on state Highway 29 near Napa Junction Road.

"After running the license plate with dispatch, the officer learned San Francisco Police wanted the vehicle for a carjacking and firearm charges that occurred in their jurisdiction on Jan. 3," American Canyon police Chief Rick Greenberg said.

The officer could see two people in the car — the driver and the passenger — who were both wearing black ski masks.

When the officer initiated a traffic stop, the SUV driver failed to yield and the pursuit began.

Officers tailed the SUV as it continued southbound on SR-29 and drove onto several side streets on the west side of the highway, Greenberg said.

The SUV eventually ended up on northbound Elliott Drive, near Crawford Way and Larkspur Street.

As the SUV driver headed toward American Canyon Middle School, an officer conducted a PIT maneuver for the safety of children.

When the car became disabled as a result of the maneuver, the suspect crashed into a mailbox on Elliot Drive.

Both the driver and the passenger got out of the SUV and ran off, one headed westbound on Larkspur and the other went westbound on Crawford — jumping fences into the back yards of homes in the neighborhood.

The Napa County Sheriff's Office issued an advisory for the public to avoid Elliot Drive and Crawford Way as the area was searched.

Police requested California Highway Patrol air support and both boys were found hiding out in back yards, the chief said.

"The male suspects, 15 and 16 years old out of Vallejo, CA, were arrested and booked into Napa County Juvenile Hall for felony evading, felony vehicle theft, and misdemeanor resisting arrest," Greenberg said.

"The investigation was turned over to SFPD Detectives."