Officers Arrest Felony Eluding Suspect After Highway 34 Pursuit
By North Forty News Staff | NorthFortyNews.com
GREELEY — Greeley police recovered thousands of dollars in allegedly stolen merchandise and arrested a 34-year-old man following a vehicle pursuit and foot chase Tuesday evening.
Officers responded at approximately 7:35 p.m. September 15 to a theft in progress at Best Buy in Centerplace, according to the Greeley Police Department.
Police said two suspects left the store in a Chevrolet Malibu after stealing multiple gaming devices. Officers with the department’s Special Enforcement Team later located the Malibu in Evans and determined it had fictitious license plates.
While conducting surveillance, officers saw a Ford F-150, also displaying fictitious plates, parked next to the Malibu. A passenger matching the description of one of the theft suspects got out of the truck, police said.
With assistance from Real Time Information Center drones, officers attempted to stop the F-150. Police said the driver immediately fled.
Officers later located the truck in the 5600 block of U.S. Highway 34 and deployed a grapple system to disable it.
The driver, identified by police as Javier Barraza, 34, allegedly got out of the truck and ran across Highway 34 toward a nearby apartment complex. Officers pursued Barraza on foot and apprehended him near 29th Street.
A search of the F-150 uncovered thousands of dollars worth of suspected stolen property, including merchandise reported stolen from Best Buy, according to police.
Barraza was booked into the Weld County Jail on allegations including felony eluding, reckless driving and driving under a suspended license, along with other related offenses. Police said additional charges are pending as the investigation continues.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact Greeley Police Officer Daniel Trujillo at [email protected].
The investigation remains ongoing. All criminal charges are allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Source: Greeley Police Department
From public safety and crime updates to the stories affecting communities across Northern Colorado, get local headlines delivered directly to your inbox with the North Forty News Daily Update. Try it free for 30 days.
Start Your 30-Day Free Trial