PIEDMONT POLICE DEPARTMENT

Office of the Chief of Police

PRESS RELEASE

On 12-19-2017 at 1:48 p.m., the Piedmont Police Department received a call from the 500 block of Scenic Avenue in Piedmont reporting two individuals in a vehicle engaged in suspicious activity. Upon arrival, officers located the vehicle and discovered it was occupied by two individuals.

As the Piedmont officer approached the vehicle, one individual jumped from the back seat into the front seat and attempted to start the car. The officer repeatedly ordered the occupant not to start the car. The officer, who was near the front of the vehicle, drew his weapon as the car was starting and continued to order the individual to stop the vehicle. The individual turned the car toward the officer. The officer was able to step back to avoid being struck by the vehicle;  the officer then ran to his patrol car and initiated a pursuit.

The suspect fled at a high rate of speed and was pursued by two Piedmont officers. A computer check identified the vehicle as a stolen car that had been reported to Oakland Police. Piedmont officers pursued the vehicle into Oakland where it collided with an occupied vehicle at Piedmont Avenue and Ridgeway Avenue. After the suspect’s vehicle struck the victim’s vehicle, he backed up and struck a Piedmont police vehicle. This resulted in a complaint of pain to the officer in that car and that police vehicle suffered moderate damage.

After striking the police car, the suspect continued to flee pursued by Piedmont officers. The vehicle continued on without stopping until it jumped the curb on San Pablo Avenue in Oakland. It narrowly missed striking two pedestrians on the sidewalk and eventually struck the wall of a Market on the corner. A Piedmont officer used his vehicle to intervene in the suspect’s path and end the pursuit.

Two individuals were taken into custody and booked at Santa Rita Jail. They were charged with the following crimes:

• Assault with a deadly weapon
• Possession of a stolen vehicle
• Evading an officer while driving recklessly
• Hit and Run causing injury to another
• Probation violations
• Felony warrants

Suspect driver = Harris, Jamario – DOB/04-17-1998

Suspect passenger = Lewis, China – DOB/01-01-1999

For additional information, contact Captain Chris Monahan at (510) 420-3012.

403 Highland Avenue ▪ Piedmont, CA 94611 ▪ Phone (510) 420-3000 ▪ Fax (510) 420-1121