Man in graffiti-covered van leads Victorville deputies on a slow-speed pursuit

VICTORVILLE, Calif. (VVNG.com) — A man in a graffiti-covered van suspected of being under the influence of narcotics led deputies on a slow-speed pursuit in the City of Victorville on Thursday morning.

At about 10:20 am, deputy A. Curtis with the Victorville Police Department, responded to a desert area near the intersection of Village Drive and Rancho Road to conduct a subject check on a report of a man sleeping in his van.

The deputy contacted the driver, later identified as Sergio Morales, a 41-year-old resident of Montclair, inside the 2006 Chevrolet van and attempted a conversation with Morales, officials said.

“He was uncooperative and appeared to be under the influence of a narcotic. At one point he reached for something in the van in non-compliance and then grabbed the deputy’s hand,” stated a sheriff’s news release. ‘Morales was pepper sprayed and immediately began to drive away from the location.”

Curtis attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the van, but Morales failed to yield, and a vehicle pursuit was initiated.

According to the release, the pursuit lasted approximately twenty minutes with Morales driving on multiple city streets. Morales ran several stops signs and red lights and drove at excessive speeds. At times he drove into opposing traffic lanes in the direction of oncoming patrol vehicles. Three attempts were made to end the pursuit using the Pursuit Intervention Technique (PIT.) The third attempt ended the pursuit on Yucca Avenue, near Heartsease Lane.”

Morales refused to comply with the directives of deputies, necessitating the use of force to take Morales into custody, officials said.

Morales was transported to a local hospital for further evaluation and treatment and subsequently booked at High Desert Detention Center for Evading a Peace Officer, Assault with a Deadly Weapon on a Peace Officer, and Obstructing/Resisting an Executive Officer. 

Victorville City Firefighters was requested to the scene to assess a gas leak from the van and to render medical aid to Morales.

Morales is being held on a $50,000 bail and is scheduled to appear in a Victorville courtroom on April 27, 2020.

Anyone with information about this investigation is asked to contact Deputy A. Curtis at the Victorville Police Department at (760) 241-2911 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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