Woman Arrested After Leading Chase, Crashing into Patrol Car

A San Jose woman was arrested early this morning after allegedly leading officers on a chase in a stolen car through San Ramon and Danville and crashing head-on into a police patrol car. The chase began a short time before 3 a.m. after officers spotted a woman at the Shell gas station at 3048 Crow Canyon Place standing next to a Honda that had been reported stolen, according to police.

An officer demanded the woman to surrender at gunpoint but she got into the stolen car and fled the scene, sparking a pursuit through the northern end of San Ramon into Danville. During the chase the suspect tried to evade officers by driving on the wrong side of the roadway, and nearly missed hitting a pursuing officer when she made a U-turn on a dead-end street, police said.

Later, while turning around on another dead-end street, the suspect drove toward oncoming officer and crashed head-on into a patrol car. Both the suspect and the police officer involved in the crash were taken to a hospital for treatment and released. Inside the stolen car officers found methamphetamine, syringes and items belonging to possible burglary victims, police said.

Police said the suspect, identified as 32-year-old Stephanie Almeida, was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, auto theft, evading a police officer, drug possession, possession of stolen property and on a warrant for a probation violation.

By Bay City News