Rupert Michael Gil
Santa Barbara police and a county helicopter chased a stolen vehicle on Friday morning and arrested the driver on the west side of the city.
The incident began shortly after 10 am, when a Santa Barbara County sheriff’s patrol vehicle received a LoJack alert about a stolen vehicle in the State Street and Highway 154 area, according to Anthony Wagner, Police Department spokesman of Santa Barbara.
The policeman tried to stop the vehicle – a red Cadillac – but the driver fled to the city.
The chase rounded the Mission Street area, up to La Cumbre Road, across the highway, then down Modoc Road to the west side.
The driver went through several red lights, according to emergency radio traffic, so the policemen who were driving in pursuit stopped and had a county helicopter track the vehicle.
The chase ended in a vacant lot on block 1800 on San Pascual Street, where the suspect got out of the vehicle and was taken into custody at gunpoint, Wagner said.
The suspect was identified as Rupert Michael Gil, 18, of Santa Maria, Wagner said.
Gil was being charged at Santa Barbara County Jail on suspicion of vehicle theft, evasion from prison for intentional crime, possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Check back with Noozhawk for updates on this story.
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