Kings deputies arrest suspect during early morning pursuit of stolen vehicle

The deputy ran the license plate through dispatch and confirmed it was likely the stolen Yukon. He activated his lights and siren in an attempt to stop the Yukon. However, the driver of the Yukon, later identified as Jake Vazquez, refused to pull over, prompting a pursuit.

Vasquez drove at speeds over 90 miles per hour and in the opposite lane of travel. He also passed vehicles within an intersection and drove with little regard for the safety of other drivers on the road. Vasquez turned onto a canal bank, and the deputy was forced to slow down due to the muddy conditions.

Driving slower caused the deputy to lose sight of the Yukon.

However, the deputy refused to give up and kept looking for the Yukon. Within a few minutes, he spotted the Yukon – stopped – with the driver’s side door open. A search of the area revealed one set of shoe impressions leading from the Yukon into a cornfield.

Authorities established a perimeter around the cornfield and used a public address system to get the suspect to surrender. A K-9 deputy brought in his K-9 partner, Willie, to help locate Vasquez. The suspect was told to come out of the cornfield, or the dog would begin searching for him. According to deputies, Vasquez refused to come out, and deputies,  with K-9 Willie, entered the cornfield to apprehend the suspect.

The stalks of corn were approximately 8 feet tall, and, coupled with the darkness, the visibility within the cornfield was extremely limited. This gave Vasquez an advantage should he attack the deputies as they searched the area.

The deputy’s K-9 appeared to pick up the suspect’s scent and started pushing south. Due to the extremely low visibility, it was nearly impossible to see K-9 Willie as he searched for the suspect. Suddenly, Willie stopped, and deputies heard Vasquez yelling. Deputies rushed to where K-9 Willie was, and with the dog’s help, they arrested Vasquez.

Deputies transported the suspect to the nearest road to meet with an ambulance. He was transported to a nearby hospital before being booked into the Kings County Jail.

The suspect, Vasquez, had an active warrantless arrest (PC 836) issued for his arrest by the Hanford Police Department for a separate charge of auto theft. He had convictions for possessing a leaded cane, resisting arrest, and domestic battery.

The suspect, Vasquez, was charged with suspicion of evading a peace officer, evading a person while driving the wrong way, auto theft, possession of stolen property, and resisting arrest. His bail was set at $85,000.