Just after 12:30 AM Thursday, September 12,the Coalinga Police Department answered a report of shots fired in the area Keck Park and S. Princeton Street. A resident had phoned in the report. It took only 11 seconds for the first officer to arrive at the scene after being notified by dispatch.
As he arrived, the officer saw a maroon vehicle driving off at a high rate of speed. The officer immediately began to pursue the vehicle going west on Polk Street (away from the city center). When the maroon vehicle got to the intersection of Derrick and Gale, the officer attempted to stop it with his lights and sirens as a typical traffic stop. The vehicle failed stop.
The police officer continued to pursue the vehicle on Gale, turning right onto Highway 198 heading back into Coalinga. The chase into town had speeds up to 120 miles per hour.
The maroon vehicle turned left onto Phelps and turned right at the Amandako trailer park. The suspect’s vehicle went into the trailer park and stopped in the middle of Elizabeth Street. The driver then fled on foot, deeper into the trailer park. The officer was unable give chase the fleeing suspect because there was another occupant inside the vehicle.
The remaining occupant of the maroon vehicle was immediately taken into custody and put into the backseat of a patrol car. All responding officers set up a perimeter and called for assistance from the California Highway Patrol.
After searching the area for the subject who had fled, the search was eventually called off. The second occupant of the vehicle, who was detained at the scene, was identified as Daniel Ray Sanchez. Sanchez was arrested for PC 647 (f) (public intoxication, to the best of Coalinga Press’ knowledge) and was taken to the Coalinga Police Department for booking and further questioning. The suspect vehicle was towed, and the police department is actively looking for the driver of the vehicle.
The chief of police, Darren Blevins, is asking if anyone has any information on this case, to please call the Coalinga Police Department at (559) 935-1525.
