Police Pursuit Ends with Collision in Guadalupe

SANTA MARIA – A lengthy police pursuit through city streets and into neighboring Guadalupe Friday evening ended with the suspected driver crashing his vehicle and spending his weekend behind bars at Santa Barbara County Jail.

Tyler Thompson

Just before 11 p.m. on April 5, police observed a vehicle traveling eastbound on Stowell Road, just west of College Drive, without the use of any lights.  When an officer attempted to stop the vehicle, a newer Honda Accord, it failed to yield and fled at a high rate of speed, police said.

The suspect, later identified as Tyler Thompson, 20, of Santa Maria, led officers on a lengthy pursuit throughout numerous streets in the city, eventually driving onto westbound Main Street and heading toward the City of Guadalupe.  After fleeing into Guadalupe, Thompson lost control of his vehicle, struck an embankment and rolled the car several times.

When officers approached the vehicle, they discovered Thompson had his 20-year-old girlfriend, Flor Navarro, and their two-year-old child in the car during the pursuit, which officers didn’t know at the time.  The child was fastened in a child safety seat, police said.

After the collision, all three individuals were transported to the Marian Regional Medical Center, where Thompson and Navarro were treated for moderate injuries. The toddler did not sustain any significant injuries in the crash and was released from the hospital.

Thompson was arrested and booked into County Jail for two outstanding felony warrants, felony evading and felony child endangerment. Navarro was admitted to the hospital for her injuries, but may also face felony child endangerment charges, police said.

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