Bay Area Man Arrested in Connection with Theft of AT&T Telecommunications Wire in Sonoma County
SONOMA COUNTY — “In the evening hours of 05/08/2026, Sonoma County Sheriff’s detectives began surveilling a subject they believed to be involved in the ongoing thefts of AT&T telecommunications wire around Sonoma County. During their ongoing investigation, detectives identified Jose Torres Diaz, 28, of Richmond as a suspect in the ongoing thefts.
At around 0430 hours on 05/09/2026, Diaz was followed to an area of Bennett Vallet Road where he had previously been seen inspecting telecommunications lines. As detectives followed Diaz, they saw him stop numerous times and load bundles of pre-cut, pre-staged wire into his vehicle.
After loading the wire into his car, patrol deputies attempt to stop Diaz in the area of northbound Highway 101 near College Avenue. Deputies initiated an enforcement stop on Diaz’s vehicle. Diaz pulled over, and after about 2-3 seconds, Diaz accelerated through the intersection of College Avenue and on to the northbound Highway 101 onramp against a red light. Deputies began pursing Diaz with lights and sirens activated.
As Diaz began to evade, he accelerated onto the freeway and nearly sideswiped a semi-truck. To avoid the collision Diaz veered away from the semi-truck and nearly crashed into the soundwall on the shoulder on Highway 101. Diaz corrected and continued northbound at nearly 100 MPH. As deputies pursued, Diaz abruptly pulled across all four lanes of traffic, nearly running into the lead patrol deputy and another vehicle on the road. Diaz came to a sudden stop at the center median on Highway 101 and ran from the vehicle into a commercial area of Santa Rosa. Deputies and detectives were able to surround the area and immediately began searching for Diaz. During the search, Diaz was found in the parking lot of a nearby business.
After a short confrontation with uniformed deputies and plain clothed detectives, Diaz was arrested. Diaz was later booked into the Sonoma County Jail for 487j PC, theft of copper materials, 496(a) PC, possession of stolen property, 591 PC, damage utility lines, 594 PC, vandalism, 2800.2(a) PC, felony evading, 148(a)(1) PC, resisting arrest, 466 PC, possession of stolen property, and 591.5 PC, damage wireless communication lines.
Detectives requested a bail enhancement for Diaz, which was granted, and he was booked into the Sonoma County Jail on $125,000.00 bail. He was also found to be on county probation out of Contra Costa County for 591 PC, damaging utility lines. Diaz remains in custody as of the writing of this press release.
This investigation is ongoing, and updates will be sent out as we have them to share.”
