Suspect leads Modesto police, CHP on chase to north of Stockton

A Modesto man with a history of car theft, carjacking, burglary, drug possession and more led Modesto police and California Highway Patrol officers on a chase early Tuesday that ended between Stockton and Lodi when spike strips stopped his vehicle, authorities said.

At about 1:30 a.m., a Modesto police officer saw a vehicle trying to evade him near Tully Road and West Orangeburg Avenue, said Lt. Brandon Gillespie.

The officer attempted a traffic stop, but the driver fled and a pursuit began. On city streets, while the officer was preparing to do a pursuit-intervention technique to disable the vehicle, the driver swerved toward the officer, Gillespie said.

The pursuit continued onto northbound Highway 99, where the California Highway Patrol took over just north of Manteca.

The chase continued north at speeds up to 120 mph, said CHP Sgt. Kyle Plant. During the pursuit, a female passenger in the vehicle called 911 to say that she wanted out of the car but the driver, whom police identified as Jeremy Anthony Montemarrano, would not let her, Gillespie said. She also said Montemarrano would be pulling over, Plant said, but that did not happen.

The CHP laid spike strips on the highway north of Stockton. The vehicle hit the strips, but Montemarrano continued trying to flee. “The car was literally falling apart,” though, and when it could continue no farther, Montemarrano and his passenger were taken into custody around Eight Mile Road and turned over to Modesto police, Plant said.

Montemarrano was in custody at the Stanislaus County jail on Tuesday morning. He was booked on charges including felony evading arrest, false imprisonment, assault with a deadly weapon (for swerving toward the officer’s car, police said) and parole violation. Plant said he saw nothing to indicate the car was stolen.

In January 2012, Montemarrano was arrested on suspicion of carjacking; evading police; possession of a stolen car, a loaded gun, stolen property and a small amount of methamphetamine; and violating parole after leading police on a pursuit from central Modesto to Turlock.

And in February 2011, Montemarrano was convicted of commercial burglary, auto theft and resisting arrest. He was on parole for possession of methamphetamine.

This story was originally published June 2, 2015 at 8:52 AM with the headline "Suspect leads Modesto police, CHP on chase to north of Stockton."