Deputies catch three of four thieves in North County chase

October 14, 2016

Four suspects fleeing San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s deputies in a stolen vehicle fled by foot after crashing the car in a rural Paso Robles riverbed. Several law enforcement agencies teamed up to catch the suspects, but one of the alleged thieves remains on the loose.

One of the suspects, a minor, was being sought by the San Luis Obispo County Probation Department. Around 3:30 p.m. Thursday, probation officials informed the sheriff’s office that the minor was at a location in San Miguel.

A deputy began searching the area and was relayed a description of the vehicle the minor was possibly driving. Moments later, the deputy noticed a matching vehicle fleeing the area at a high rate of speed, according to a sheriff’s office news release.

The deputy tried to follow and overtake the vehicle but did not succeed. In the area of 15th Street and N Street, the driver attempted to flee by heading southbound on North River Road.

The deputy then initiated a pursuit and followed the driver to the intersection of North River Road and Wellsona Road. The fleeing driver attempted to turn at the intersection, but lost control of the vehicle, left the road and crashed into a dry riverbed.

Immediately following the crash, the four people inside the vehicle fled by foot.

Sheriff’s deputies responded to the scene, along with gang task force members, Paso Robles police, CHP officers and personnel from Cal Fire and the Department of Fish and Wildlife. The responding units set up a perimeter and began a large search for the suspects.

Authorities located three of the suspects and detained them. Investigators determined the vehicle had been stolen recently from Atascadero.

Deputies arrested two of the suspects, San Miguel residents Elizabeth Jayne Miranda, 18, and Jonathan Michael Hutchings, 19. Deputies charged Miranda and Hutchings with obstructing or delaying an officer and booked them in San Luis Obispo County Jail. Neither Miranda, nor Hutchings is still in jail, according to the sheriff’s office website.

The third suspect is a minor whom officials are not identifying. Deputies turned over the minor to a parent with charges pending. Authorities are still searching for the fourth suspect.

While recovering the stolen vehicle, deputies found about $5,000 in stolen tools. The tools had been reported stolen earlier in the day in rural Paso Robles. The deputy who took the report of the theft returned the tools to the owner.

An investigation into the case is ongoing.