Santa Rosa police chase ends with weapons charge arrest

A 28-year-old Santa Rosa man was arrested Sunday evening following a brief car chase along Highway 12, Santa Rosa police said.

Shortly before 7 p.m., a Santa Rosa police officer spotted a vehicle that appeared to be “driving recklessly” near Maple Avenue and South E Street, according to a news release.

The officer attempted to stop the vehicle but the driver sped away west on Highway 12, officials said.

The officer began to give chase but “after losing sight of the vehicle on Stony Road and Glenbrook Drive,” broke off the pursuit, according to the release.

While searching Glenbrook at Fernwood Court, the officer was stopped by a resident of the area who directed the officer to a vehicle stopped at the end of Fernwood.

The vehicle was the same one that had fled the officer along Highway 12, according to the release.

As he approached the car, the driver, Brandon Gomez, exited the vehicle. The officer arrested Gomez without incident, according to the news release.

A search of Gomez’s vehicle turned up an unregistered, loaded 9mm semi-automatic pistol.

Gomez was arrested on suspicion of felony evading a peace officer; as well as suspicion of possession of a loaded firearm and suspicion of possession of an unregistered firearm.

He was being held at the Sonoma County Jail.