On Monday, February 3 in Dept. 30 of the Hall of Justice in San Jose, 18-year-old Enrique Antonio Sandoval pleaded guilty to charges – H&S (health and safety code) 11550 – being under the influence of a controlled substance, methamphetamine, and for PC 148.9, making a false statement to a police officer. The next hearing has been set for March 18 in Dept 30 at 9:00 PM. Sandoval is awaiting sentencing after his guilty plea.
A plea agreement has been set for a 6-month sentence in the country jail for the crimes after an extensive overview of the actions by the Sandoval prior to his arrest. He is also expected to enter drug treatment for his use of methamphetamine when he is released from jail after serving his six-month sentence.
Sandoval was involved in joy riding in a stolen vehicle with five occupants while being under the influence of meth. He was arrested after a high speed chase involving a stolen 1996 Green Nissan Quest van in the City of Saratoga by Santa Clara Sheriff’s Deputies. The Deputy turned on his lights to stop the unknown driver of the vehicle. The driver told the occupants he was “scared when he saw the police officer behind [him] because the car was stolen”. That is when the driver tried to outrun Santa Clara Sheriff’s Deputies at a high rate of speed. It was reported that the driver had driven as fast as 90 mph during the pursuit.
The chase soon led deputies near Highway 85 towards Stevens Creek Blvd in San Jose. Sheriff’s deputies alerted the California Highway Patrol to the pursuit. The driver exited at Stevens Creek Blvd., and the jumped back onto Highway 280 towards San Jose, driving at speeds of more than 100 mph. The van exited into downtown San Jose near Vine Street, and the driver began to drive down the wrong way on one way streets, and then again on Almaden Expressway at rates of up to 60 mph. The pursuit ended near 399 South 12th Street near Sunset Hall in San Jose, where the Hispanic male driver had parked the van and fled pursuing deputies.
SJPD officers noticed two female suspects hiding in the front yard of a residence near the van. Two male suspects had run away and were still being sought, and a third male suspect was located a block away. Sandoval was picked up and taken back to the scene, where he was then taken to regional medical center for treatment of a gun-shot wound to his leg he had received a few weeks prior to his arrest. Sandoval admitted to being a Sureno gang member.
