Stolen Sacramento police cruiser chase ends in Lodi arrest
A homeless man in Sacramento is facing multiple felony charges after allegedly stealing a police cruiser and leading officers on a chase that ended near Lodi. The incident started when Sacramento police responded to reports of vandalism in the area. A homeless man reportedly threw a bucket at a woman’s car tire and chased her with a large stick. When officers tried to detain the suspect, he ran from them and jumped into a patrol vehicle.
The suspect then drove off in the stolen cruiser, leading officers on a pursuit down Highway 99 through Sacramento. The patrol vehicle contained department-issued weapons, adding to the risks of the situation for law enforcement. Eventually, California Highway Patrol officers were able to stop the vehicle near Lodi and arrest the suspect without any injuries.
The suspect was identified as 28-year-old Isaac Paval of Sacramento, who has a known criminal history in the area and is currently on pretrial probation for a DUI offense. Authorities are investigating whether Paval accessed a rifle inside the stolen cruiser, as the weapon was secured in a safety lock. If confirmed, he could face additional charges.
After his arrest, Paval was taken to a hospital for precautionary measures and is expected to be booked into the Sacramento Main Jail once medically cleared. Sacramento police are also looking into whether the department has the capability to remotely disable stolen patrol vehicles and will assess the incident to see if any changes can be implemented to prevent similar situations in the future.
