Photo: Daniel Garcia and Travis Newton
Concerned civilians called police on December 16th when they saw two men at 11PM in the parking lot of the Loma Vista Market unloading items from an F450 truck and moving them into a trailer.
As Fresno County Deputies arrived, the men scattered, one in the Ford F450 and the other in a separate truck, abandoning the unhitched trailer in the parking lot. While fleeing one of the suspects, 39-year old Travis Newton, shot a gun into the air several times, luckily no one was hit.
Newton headed toward Bethel and Santa Ana where he drove unto a dirt road. He tried to flee on foot once hitting the dirt road but could not outrun K9 Officer Mikey. Mikey caught Newton who tried to fight him off until a deputy arrived and handcuffed Newton.
Newton suffered a few injuries and received treatment before being booked into Fresno County Jail.
The Second suspect, 35-year old Daniel Garcia, didn’t have a K9 chasing him, but instead the California Highway Patrol Helicopter H40 on his tail.
He was tracked to Highway 41 and Floradora where the helicopter spotlight afforded him no cover and very easily guided ground CHP officers and deputies to his hiding spot near Angus and Hedges where he surrendered without further resistance.
As it turns out, the vehicles in which the suspects fled and trailer they abandoned were both stolen. Deputies also recovered two handguns one of the suspects attempted to discard when the pursuit began.
Newton faces charges for auto theft, possession of stolen property, evasion of police, firearm possession by a felon, negligent discharge of a firearm, and committing a crime while out on bail. His new bail is set at $201,000.
Garcia’s bail for auto theft, possession of stolen property, and evading police is set at $64,500. However, his violation of probation will trump his opportunity to post bail.
