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3-minute car chase ends in an Oxnard house
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More from Other NewsApparently deciding to elude police on foot, Valentino Zapien roared up Sandebal's driveway on East Olive Street and kept going, crashing into the house. Officers followed, jumping out of their cars to chase Zapien into the house, where they arrested him.
"They barged in here like dogs," Sandebal said. She worries that the police and Zapien could have crashed into her kids or someone else in the neighborhood. "I don't know how they stopped their car because they were coming so fast."
Police said they found a loaded gun and drugs. Those two charges were dismissed in court as Zapien, 21, of Oxnard, pleaded guilty to evading police with willful disregard for safety. He was sentenced to 270 days in jail.
Oxnard Police Chief John Crombach said he was sorry if Sandebal or others were angered by the chase but that police had little choice because Zapien had a felony warrant and was believed armed and dangerous.
"How unhappy would you have been if the officer had terminated the pursuit and released a known, wanted and dangerous suspect in your neighborhood?" he asked.
-- Tom Kisken, Staff writer
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