Two people charged after stolen vehicle crashes into patrol car during pursuit, police say

Two people were charged Wednesday following a pursuit of a stolen vehicle that ended with it being surrounded by officers with guns drawn after the car crashed into a stationary police cruiser, authorities said.

A Fountain Valley police officer tried to stop the Honda Accord in connection with a traffic violation near Bushard Street and Warner Avenue shortly before 7 p.m. Monday, police said.

When the car did not stop, the officer chased it into Westminster and was assisted by the Westminster Police Department and a Huntington Beach police helicopter crew, authorities said.

The Accord entered a cul-de-sac on Plumwood Street, made a U-turn at the end of the street and struck the police cruiser head-on, according to police.

“Fearing for his life, that officer exited his patrol unit and commanded the driver to stop at gunpoint and he complied,” Fountain Valley police said in a statement posted on social media.

Facing six officers with guns drawn under the spotlight of the helicopter, the driver exited the Accord after a brief stand-off, according to a video shared by police.

Mario Oscar Gonzales, 26, of Midway City was charged Wednesday with felony assault on a peace officer with a weapon other than a firearm and felony auto theft with a prior felony conviction for taking a vehicle, court records show. He was scheduled to appear in court Wednesday, though it was unclear from jail and court records if he was arraigned.

Yuvia Lizeth Camargo, 32, of Stanton, who was identified as a passenger in the vehicle, pleaded not guilty Wednesday to one count of felony auto theft with a prior felony conviction for taking a vehicle and a misdemeanor count of possession of controlled substance paraphernalia, court records show.

Gonzales was booked into Orange County Jail with bail set at $50,000, according to jail records.

Camargo was booked into county jail with bail set at $20,000 and is scheduled back in court Oct. 24, court and jail records show.

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