Jeremiah James Behrbaum, 19, ended a self-described all night birthday celebration with a police pursuit – finally being tackled by Manteca Police detective sergeant Tony Souza on his way to work Tuesday morning.
Behrbaum was charged with felony evading officers in his 1981 Ford van, hit and run, driving under the influence (DUI), driving without a license, evading pursuing officers while driving on the wrong side of the road, driving without a license and for obstructing officers who were trying to arrest him, police said.
Officers first received a call shortly after 7 a.m. by a woman living at 850 South Union Road who said she was awakened by the sound of a collision and saw a blue car had crashed through a fence at her apartment complex. She reportedly told police that the van had hit a parked car at that location setting off its burglar alarm.
Patrolman Dave Brown said he located the vehicle in the 400 block of South Locust Avenue. Brown said the driver started to get out of the van, but apparently changed his mind, getting back behind the wheel and driving off. Speeds didn’t get over 50 miles per hour, Brown said.
Brown said the fleeing motorist was driving on the wrong side of the road in the 700 block of Wawona Avenue where he spun out of control and hit the curbing. When the driver reached South Main Street, Brown said he spun out of control again hitting a chain link fence and a car parked on Main Street to the north of the Social Security office.
The officer chased the motorist on foot around the Social Security building and through the parking lot until the driver decided to run across traffic toward the industrial park. At that point detective Sergeant Tony Souza happened to be driving north on Main Street on his way to the police station.
Souza said he saw the activity and watched it unfold until the motorist ran across the street toward his vehicle. Souza chased him down and tackled him on the lawn of one of the commercial buildings on the east side of Main Street.
Calls had also been received earlier by a the police dispatcher that a blue van was being driven in a crazy manner in an open field near the junction of Highway 120 and South Union Road.
Behrbaum was transported to the San Joaquin County Jail in French Camp where he is being held in lieu of $141,966 bail. His court date is set for May 28, in the Manteca Branch of the San Joaquin County Superior Court.
Behrbaum was charged with felony evading officers in his 1981 Ford van, hit and run, driving under the influence (DUI), driving without a license, evading pursuing officers while driving on the wrong side of the road, driving without a license and for obstructing officers who were trying to arrest him, police said.
Officers first received a call shortly after 7 a.m. by a woman living at 850 South Union Road who said she was awakened by the sound of a collision and saw a blue car had crashed through a fence at her apartment complex. She reportedly told police that the van had hit a parked car at that location setting off its burglar alarm.
Patrolman Dave Brown said he located the vehicle in the 400 block of South Locust Avenue. Brown said the driver started to get out of the van, but apparently changed his mind, getting back behind the wheel and driving off. Speeds didn’t get over 50 miles per hour, Brown said.
Brown said the fleeing motorist was driving on the wrong side of the road in the 700 block of Wawona Avenue where he spun out of control and hit the curbing. When the driver reached South Main Street, Brown said he spun out of control again hitting a chain link fence and a car parked on Main Street to the north of the Social Security office.
The officer chased the motorist on foot around the Social Security building and through the parking lot until the driver decided to run across traffic toward the industrial park. At that point detective Sergeant Tony Souza happened to be driving north on Main Street on his way to the police station.
Souza said he saw the activity and watched it unfold until the motorist ran across the street toward his vehicle. Souza chased him down and tackled him on the lawn of one of the commercial buildings on the east side of Main Street.
Calls had also been received earlier by a the police dispatcher that a blue van was being driven in a crazy manner in an open field near the junction of Highway 120 and South Union Road.
Behrbaum was transported to the San Joaquin County Jail in French Camp where he is being held in lieu of $141,966 bail. His court date is set for May 28, in the Manteca Branch of the San Joaquin County Superior Court.
