Apple Valley police arrest transient after pursuit in stolen vehicle

APPLE VALLEY, Calif. (VVNG.com) — A 27-year-old transient from Apple Valley was taken into custody following a 16-mile pursuit in a stolen vehicle.

It happened on February 7, 2021, when the 41-year-old victim called sheriff’s dispatch and reported seeing her stolen vehicle in the 15000 block of Serrano Road. Sheriff’s officials said the 2016 Hyundai Elantra was reported stolen the day before.

Deputies were dispatched to the report and located the stolen vehicle pulling out of a driveway at an address on the 20000 block of Thunderbird Road.

Deputy Faylor with the Apple Valley Police Department attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but the driver, later identified as Steven Gonzalez, fled, and a pursuit ensued.

According to a sheriff’s news release, “the 16-mile pursuit reached speeds of 65 MPH in residential areas and parking lots where Gonzalez Salazar failed to stop at posted stop signs and drove into oncoming traffic. Deputies utilized spike strips and a Pursuit Intervention Technique (PIT) Maneuver, bringing the pursuit to an end at Thunderbird Road and Ute Road, where Gonzalez Salazar was taken into custody without incident.”

Steven Gonzalez Salazar was booked into High Desert Detention Center for felony evading, possession of stolen property, and theft of a vehicle. He is currently being held in lieu of $100,000 bail and is scheduled to appear in the Victorville Superior Court on February 9, 2021.

Anyone with information about this investigation is asked to contact Deputy B. Hobbs and Deputy B. Faylor at the Apple Valley Police Department at (760) 240-7400 or Sheriff’s Dispatch at (760) 956-5001. Callers wishing to remain anonymous are urged to call the We-Tip Hotline at 1-800-78CRIME (27463) or you may leave information on the We-Tip website at www.wetip.com.

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