PACIFIC GROVE – Pacific Grove police made arrests following a traffic stop of some youths in possession of a bottle of alcohol that they suspect was stolen late Wednesday night according to the department.
A press release from the police department states that around 11:40 p.m. Wednesday, officers saw a white Honda Accord fail to stop at a stop sign at Piedmont and Forest avenues.
The officers had the car pull over and two passengers ran into the forested area of Pebble Beach, near the Holman Highway and S.F.B. Morse Drive. The officers immediately established containment and initiated a search, according to the press release.
The two suspects were not located Wednesday night, but one has since been identified and will face charges.
Both the driver and front passenger remained at the scene and were detained. Investigation revealed the 19-year-old driver, Emilio Valdez-Rangel, was unlicensed. The front passenger was a juvenile.
The officers determined that all four of the Honda’s occupants had conspired to burglarize the Safeway in Pacific Grove to steal alcohol. The press release states that two of the suspects had entered the store and taken a bottle of Crown Royal Regal Apple whisky that officers recovered inside the Accord.
Valdez-Rangel was booked into the Monterey County Jail under five counts, including conspiracy to commit burglary, contribution to the delinquency of a minor, minor in possession of alcohol in public, possession of stolen property and for unlicensed driving.
The juvenile front seat passenger was released to a parent after Juvenile Hall declined admission, but the case will be forwarded to Juvenile Probation for review and prosecution for conspiracy to commit burglary.
One of the fleeing suspects, who was also identified as a juvenile, will be referred to Juvenile Probation for burglary, conspiracy to commit burglary and for resisting arrest.
The fourth suspect is still unidentified and the investigation remains active while officers work to identify the outstanding suspect. Anyone with information related to the incident is encouraged to contact the Pacific Grove Police Department at (831) 648-3143. Any questions and information related to this investigation can be directed to Commander Dawn Delfino.
