Kern County Man Arrested for Allegedly Evading Police in Stolen Vehicle
SHAFTER, CA — “On August 19, 2025, at about 11:10 P.M., Shafter Police Department officers located a reported stolen vehicle driving through the City of Shafter. Officers attempted to make a traffic enforcement stop on the stolen vehicle, which was described as a white and black 2022 Ford Dump Truck near the intersection of Central Valley Highway and W. Tulare Avenue.
The vehicle was occupied by only the driver, later identified as Rolando Javier Chavez Ortiz (39), who refused to exit the vehicle despite numerous commands given by Shafter Police Department officers. Deputies from the Kern County Sheriff’s Office (including K-9 and Air-1), officers from the Wasco Police Department, and California Highway Patrol responded to assist. California Highway Patrol Officers deployed a tire deflation device under the vehicle; however, Chavez Ortiz drove over the device and fled from officers at speeds reaching 100 miles per hour. Chavez Ortiz drove to the rural areas north of Shafter and then back south into the Bakersfield city limits. The California Highway Patrol assumed the traffic pursuit at the request of the Shafter Police Department. With assistance from the Bakersfield Police Department, additional tire deflation devices were deployed, resulting in additional tire damage to the dump truck. Chavez Ortiz continued evading and entered the southbound lanes of Highway 99 while traveling northbound (wrong direction). The dump truck drove on its passenger side rims and eventually came to a stop on the west shoulder of southbound Highway 99, south of California Avenue. Chavez Ortiz fled across the freeway and was taken into custody by California Highway Patrol and Bakersfield Police Department officers near the east shoulder of the freeway. The Shafter Police Department would like to thank the allied agencies for their assistance during this incident.
Rolando Chavez Ortiz was arrested by the Shafter Police Department for two (2) counts of Felony Evading, Felony Vandalism, Possession of a Stolen Vehicle, and Resisting Arrest. Chavez Ortiz was found to have six (6) additional warrants. The warrants included a felony no-bail warrant for violation of Post-Release Community Supervision, and a felony warrant for four (4) counts of burglary. Chavez Ortiz was booked into the Justice Receiving Facility with no bail allowed. If anyone has information regarding this incident, please notify the Shafter Police Department at (661) 746-8500 and reference case number 25-1949.”
