Crime & Safety

Crime Briefs: Police Chase Nortenos

The PD's Gang Team made seven arrests, served a search warrant, seized drugs and snagged a handgun Wednesday.

A carload of suspected Norteno gang members led Watsonville police on an 11-mile car chase through town, on rural roads, then back into the city were it ended about 100 yards from the police station Wednesday afternoon.

Five men were arrested: Samual Duran, 18, unknown address; Andrew Rodriguez, 19, of Santa Cruz; and Watsonville residents Lex Godinez Perez, 28, Patrick Diaz, 19 and Mario Fregoso, 18, police reported.

The chase started around 4:16 p.m. on Freedom Boulevard at Brennan Street when officers spotted two wanted men in a vehicle. The car wouldn't stop for officers and fled, but then paused while Diaz jumped out, police said.

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Some cops chased Diaz while others continued pursuing the vehicle. The chase lasted 11 miles, winding through agriculture areas before returning to the city and ending on the 100 block of Grant Street, near the police station.

Fregoso and Duran were arrested there. Perez and Rodriguez ran, but police caught them, too. It took police K9 Dorro and his handler, Eddie Santana, to find Rodriguez at an apartment on the 100 block of Maple Street, police said.

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The men were arrested for a range of charges, including resisting arrest, evading, gang participation and warrants, police reported.

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The Watsonville Police gang team arrested two people and took heroin, a stun gun, and drug and gang paraphernalia when officers busted an apartment on Silverleaf Drive on Wednesday, police reported.

Eriberto Guerrero, 30, and Marlyn Uribe, 22, were arrested at 229 Silver Leaf Dr. Apt. C after officers served a search warrant on the home, police reported.

Guerrero was booked into County Jail on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a stun gun, drug possession and a gang enhancement. Uribe was arrested on suspicion of drug possession. There also were un-prescribed pills in the apartment.


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