A police chase that involved a wanted parolee firing a gun several times at pursuing officers ended Monday afternoon with three gang members under arrest and no one injured, according to Santa Maria police.

Officers attempted to stop a 2002 Dodge Durango near Mercury Drive and Auto Park Drive about 4 p.m., but driver  Barbara Trevino, 49, of Santa Maria fled, leading officers on a “high-speed reckless pursuit throughout the city,” police said.

Five police cars joined the chase, traveling north on College Drive, just north of Betteravia Road.

Joseph Deleon, a 33-year-old wanted parolee from Santa Maria, leaned out of a passenger window and shot at officers at least three times, police said.

“Six officers were in the line of fire, but none were struck,” police said.

The pursuit continued to the area of Miller Street and Park Avenue, where Albert Valdez allegedly threw the weapon from the vehicle. Police recovered the gun, a 9-mm semi-automatic pistol.

Trevino stopped the SUV briefly in the 300 block of North Benwiley Avenue, allowing Deleon to run away, but he was captured and arrested after a brief foot chase, police said, adding that he had discarded methamphetamine along the way.

The vehicle pursuit continued, but Trevino finally yielded at Benwiley and Main Street, where she was arrested.  Methamphetamine was later found in her purse, officers said. 

The vehicle’s second passenger, Valdez, 30, of Santa Maria tried to run away, but was captured almost immediately, police said.

All three suspects are Santa Maria gang members, according to police. All were booked for a variety of charges, including six counts of attempted murder on peace officers and six gang-enhancement charges.

Additionally, Trevino was arrested on suspicion of felony evasion.

The two men also were arrested on suspicion of transporting meth, resisting arrest, violating parole and being felons in possession of a gun.

Deleon had been on the run since last week, when he left his residence just prior to a search warrant being served by the SWAT team, police said.

November 17, 2009