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Crime & Safety

High Speed Car Chase Leads to Arrest of Watsonville Man

The man was in violation of his 'Post Release Community Supervision' probation terms, an fled when officers attempted to contact him.

At 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, a Santa Cruz County Gang Task Force (GTF) sergeant spotted Javier Solis, 30, and two others outside of the Day's Inn hotel on Beach Street in Watsonville.

The sergeant had prior knowledge of Solis, and knew that he was wanted for violating his probation terms.  Watsonville Police Deparmtment officers and other GTF officers were called to assist in stopping Solis, who took off in a black BMW. He did not pull over, according to police reports.

Officers pursued Solice through Watsonville city streets, reaching speeds in excess of 80 mph at times. 

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Solis pulled into a trailer park in the 1900 block of Freedom Boulevard where he drove the car into a fence and fled on foot. A female passenger was quickly caught in a nearby trailer. The female passenger was released without having any criminal liability.

A male passenger eluded officers and was not found.

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Officers continued to chase Solis on foot, into the apartment complex at the end of Stewart Avenue. Now joined by the Santa Cruz County Sheriff Deputies, were able to track him to an apartment to which he was not related.

Officers forced entry into the apartment and found a sleeping teenage girl who was unaware that anyone had entered her home. Upon searching the house, GTF officers found Solis hiding in a locked bedroom and arrested him.

Officers found items of clothing that Solis had been wearing and discarded in various areas of the house, along with a 9mm semi-automatic pistol, bullets and ammunition magazine, all of which appeared to have been hastily hidden, according to police. 

The pistol was reported stolen out of Salinas on September 24 of this year. GTF officers booked Solis into county jail for Felony Evading, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Possession of Stolen Property (firearm), Burglary, and Violation of Post Release Community Supervision.

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