Hollister Police Arrested San Jose Man in Stolen Vehicle

Officer narrowly escapes injury

HOLLISTER—Authorities with the Hollister Police Department arrested 29-year-old known gang member and San Jose resident Angel Estrada after he was seen in a stolen vehicle early Sunday morning.

Angel Estrada

At about 2 p.m., Officer Michael Paddy of the Hollister Police Department noticed a gray Honda Civic driving at a high rate of speed on South Street.  As Officer Paddy responded and tried to catch up to the vehicle he learned that the car was reported stolen.

The driver, who was later identified as Estrada, continued to lead Officer Paddy and other officers at a high-rate of speed down Westside Boulevard.  When the pursuit reached Westside Boulevard and San Juan-Hollister Road intersection Officer Paddy attempted to make a felony car stop.

Estrada ignored the officers attempt to pull him over and sped away at a high rate of speed down San Juan-Hollister Road before turning onto Miller Road.  Estrada continued on to Buena Vista Road blowing several stop signs with no regard to the safety of the public.

Officer Paddy lost sight of the vehicle as it continued down a private dirt road on Buena Vista Road when a large dirt cloud developed as the vehicles sped down the dirt road.  Losing sight of the suspect vehicle, Officer Paddy decided to stop his patrol car only to find that he was just a few feet from an edge of a cliff.

“Officer Paddy observed as the suspect vehicle seemed to drop and disappear from his view,” Hollister Police Sergeant Dan Winn reported.

Officer Paddy located the roof of the vehicle approximately 50 feet below.  Estrada was able to crawl out of the car.  He tried to run but was caught a short distance away by Hollister Police Officers and San Benito County Deputies, who had joined the pursuit.

Estrada was taken to a local hospital and treated for minor injuries.  He was booked into San Benito County Jail on charges of possession of a stolen vehicle, failure to yield to officers with disregard to public safety, driving under the influence, possession of burglary tools, auto theft and parole violations.

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