City of Santa Rosa, CA, CivicReady Public Safety Alerts & Notifications

SRPD News Release: SRPD RECOVERS TWO STOLEN VEHICLES WITHIN 1 HOUR

SRPD RECOVERS TWO STOLEN VEHICLES WITHIN 1 HOUR
On 7/5/23, at approximately 4:53pm, officers were dispatched to the 1900 block of Sansone Drive regarding a theft of a high end, newly boxed, Air Compressor, which had just been delivered to the front porch of a residence.  Moments after the delivery, an unknown male subject, wearing a blue face mask, approached the residence in a blue Lincoln 4-door sedan.  The male exited his vehicle and was seen on video surveillance cameras taking the boxed compressor from the porch.  The male got back into his vehicle and left the area.  The home resident was able to capture the license plate of the suspect vehicle as he drove away from the area.  The vehicle returned stolen out of the city of Ukiah the day prior.  A broadcast and BOL was quickly sent out to all officers in the area. 

At approximately 5:05pm, an SRPD officer located the stolen vehicle entering the parking lot to Motel 6 North on Cleveland Ave.  A male driver was detained without further incident during the contact. Inside the rear seat of the vehicle, officers located the stolen Air Compressor from the residence on Sansone Drive. The driver of the vehicle was identified as (S) Rafael Carrillo-Contreras, a 34-year-old transient male out of Santa Rosa.  Contreras was found to have outstanding Felony warrants out of Marin County and Lake County for three additional stolen vehicle cases.  Contreras was transported to Sonoma County Jail where he was booked for the following charges:
487 PC – Felony grand theft, 666.5 PC – Repeat offenses of Auto Theft , 10851 CVC – Felony possession of a stolen vehicle , 496(d)(a) PC – Felony possession of stolen property
SRPD Case #23-8194. 

At approximately 5:31pm, another SRPD officer attempted to make a traffic stop on a vehicle for expired registration on Wallace Rd, just north of Badger Rd. The driver of the vehicle, a 2016 silver Toyota Tacoma, did not immediately pull over when the officer activated his lights and sirens. Moments later the officer advised that he was in pursuit of the Tacoma, heading north on Wallace Rd.

The officer was advised by SRPD dispatch that the Tacoma had incorrect license plates on it. The plates on the Tacoma were from a 1988 Toyota and not a 2016 Tacoma. The driver of the vehicle continued at speeds of about 60mph on Wallace Rd and then turned westbound on to Riebli Rd, slowing down due to the curves in the road.

The driver of the Tacoma lost control of the vehicle in the 1800 block of Riebli Rd and crashed in an open field. He attempted to run from officers who were in pursuit but was quickly apprehended. The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Helicopter “Henry 1” had been following the pursuit and assisted with locating the suspect. Officers from the California Highway patrol arrived on scene and conducted the collision investigation.

The driver was identified as Lawrence Cassidy, a 54-year-old resident of Santa Rosa. Officers were able to determine that the vehicle was stolen. Lawrence had minor injuries from the collision. He was treated at a local hospital. Lawrence was arrested and transported to the Sonoma County Jail where he was booked for the following charges:
10851 CVC – Felony possession of a stolen vehicle, 496(d)(a) PC -Felony possession of stolen property, and 2800.2 CVC -Felony evading with wanton disregard for public safety.
SRPD Case #23-8197

Media Contact:

Sgt. Summer Gloeckner
(707) 543-3600