Location: 19200 block of Avenue 144, Poplar
Incident Date: 9/9/17
Incident Time: 2150 hours
Case Number: 17-11038
Victim: Gabriela Rincon
City: Poplar
Posted by: Dispatch
Suspect: 27-year-old Jesus Arreola, of Tulare
On Saturday 9-9-17 at 2152 hours, Deputies responded to the 19200 block of Avenue 144, in Poplar, regarding a report of a carjacking. Deputies contacted Gabriela Rincon and she stated that she, her husband, Pedro Rincon, and her son, Abel Pacheco, arrived to the Poplar Market. She waited in their 2004 Cadillac Escalade with the engine running while her husband and son entered the store.
Moments later, an unknown male jumped into the driver seat and he began to back out of the parking lot. Abel exited the store and opened the vehicle driver door. He attempted to stop the carjacking. Gabriela jumped out of the vehicle and Abel was knocked to the ground. The suspect fled the scene north bound on Road 192 at a high rate of speed.
Gabriela and Abel sustained minor injuries.
Deputies were later dispatched to the Strathmore area regarding a suspicious vehicle. When they arrived, they observed the stolen Escalade traveling at a high rate of speed nearly striking a Deputy. Deputies initiated a pursuit and were assisted by the California Highway Patrol and the Lindsay Police Department.
The pursuit traveled into the city of Lindsay and the suspect struck two California Highway Patrol patrol cars with the stolen vehicle. The officers were not injured.
The suspect drove into an orchard and collided with a tree in the area of Foothill and Valencia streets. The suspect ran from the stolen vehicle into the orchard. A CHP aircraft joined the search. Jesus Arreola was spotted by the CHP helicopter and they coordinated ground units to his location. The suspect was located and taken into custody.
Arreola was booked into the Adult Pre-Trial Facility and he was charged with Carjacking, Assault with a Deadly weapon, Felony Evasion, and Resisting Arrest.
The case is currently under investigation. Anyone with information is encouraged to call Det. J. Nevarez with the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office at (559) 733-6218 or send anonymous information by sending a text or email to TCSO@tipnow.com or call 1-800-TIPNOW.