Photo: George Quinteros
In the early morning of March 1 a suspicious vehicle on Road 248 in Terra Bella prompted calls to the Porterville Substation for deputies to investigate. Once deputies approached, the only occupant of the vehicle bolted on foot and his whereabouts became unknown.
Deputies investigated the vehicle and its contents. The car was packed with stolen goods accumulated from various burglaries spanning from Corcoran to Hanford to McFarland and cities in between. Controlled substances were also found in the car and the car itself was discovered as stolen from Pixley.
During the initial encounter with the suspect, at least one deputy was wearing a body camera. The footage was analyzed and 30-year old George Quinteros was identified as the man in the video fleeing from police.
This breakthrough linked Quinteros to numerous burglaries committed in Waukena, Earlimart, and Porterville where he led police on a high speed chase and managed to again avoid arrest. He was wanted for cashing payroll checks throughout the south valley which he stole from a business in Pixley. And in Pixley, he stole a truck not too far away after fleeing on foot from police on March 1st.
His luck ran out on March 31 and he was unable to escape the handcuffs that day. Deputies from the Porterville Substation and detectives from the Tulare Area Gang and Narcotics Enforcement Team surrounded Quinteros in Porterville. He surrendered without hesitation and now awaits arraignment at the Tulare County Jail.
