Following a 2 a.m. high-speed chase Tuesday morning, Citrus Heights police announced the arrest of five suspects — including two juveniles — with charges ranging from robbery, burglary, assault with a deadly weapon, felony evading of officers, conspiracy, and vandalism.
The incident occurred early Tuesday when Citrus Heights police said a resident on the 13000 block of Fair Oaks Boulevard reported hearing what he thought was a gunshot and seeing three people on his neighbor’s property “yelling at someone to get on the ground and making some reference to money.”
Responding officers observed several males running from the house into a silver vehicle which left “at a high rate of speed” and refused to stop, according to a news release from the Citrus Heights Police Department. A chase began, with the suspect vehicle running through several intersections and turning its headlights off. Items were also seen being tossed from the vehicle, with officers later recovering a pellet gun and a five-gallon bucket of marijuana along the chase route.
Police said officers were able to block the suspects’ vehicle in a parking lot, where two suspects fled on foot and the other three suspects remaining in the vehicle were detained. A Citrus Heights police dog was able to “apprehend” one of the fleeing suspects, who was later treated at a local hospital for an injury and then released for booking, according to police.
The other suspect was detained after a perimeter was established with help from the Sacramento Sheriff’s Department, Roseville and Folsom police, and the California Highway Patrol. Officers found the suspect when several residents reported a man knocking on apartment doors, claiming to have been in a car accident.
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Suspects arrested were identified as 22-year-old Tevin Bolten of Sacramento, 19-year-old John Sherrard of Orangevale, and 19-year-old Darius Pope of Fair Oaks — all of whom were booked at the Sacramento County Jail . Police said the other two suspects were both 17 years old and were booked at the Sacramento County Juvenile Hall.
Police believe the victim and suspects knew each other and that the victim was “specifically targeted for the marijuana stolen.” According to the police news release, no evidence of a gun being fired was found on scene, as had been initially reported.
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Citrus Heights police said the neighbor who called in the initial report of a gunshot can be “partially credited” with the quick resolution to Tuesday’s incident, encouraging citizens to be “vigilant” about what’s going on in their neighborhoods. Police said they advise residents to be cautious about letting unknown individuals into a home, saying it’s “likely much safer to offer to make a call for someone, rather than let them into your home.”
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