Chase Ends in Cuffs, Custody for Two in Visalia

Two Visalia men’s attempt to evade arrest crashed to failure on the morning of November 25 when their vehicle chase ended and their jail stay began.

Residents in the Visalia neighborhoods on West Country Avenue were awake enough to notice a maroon Chevy Suburban in the area, breaking into vehicles on the street, according to the Visalia Police Department.

When the police responded to residents’ 911 calls, they spotted a vehicle fitting the description. The Suburban didn’t pull over when the police attempted — lights and sirens blazing — to make a stop, instead the truck gave chase.

The chase was abruptly over when the Suburban crashed and rolled over while attempting a turn. The driver, Paul Hignojoz, 29, of 200 W. Caldwell, Apt. 28 in Visalia, and Anthony Bastardo, 28, of 1213 S. Crowe in Visalia, were taken to Kaweah Delta Hospital to be medically cleared. Bastardo sustained a bloody nose in the incident.

The police found stolen property including a leather briefcase in the Suburban and, once cleared, the men were booked on charges of attempted burglary, conspiracy to commit a burglary, possession of stolen property, evading police through a vehicle pursuit. Hignojoz was also charged with DUI and giving a false name to a police officer, according to Visalia Police Sgt. Steve Phillips.

The stolen property was returned to the owners.