Santa Rosa shoplift suspect leads police on chase

Santa Rosa police arrested a Bay Area homeless man they said led them on a high-speed chase in a stolen car after stealing items from several stores.

The pursuit came after Kohl’s store employees on Airway Drive reported a theft about 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, police Sgt. Jeneane Kucker said.

They described the suspect, Jesse Dean Green, 41, and gave a license plate number of his car, which turned out to be stolen from San Francisco, Kucker said.

The car was located at Coddingtown Mall a short while later and police followed it, leading to a chase onto Highway 101, through downtown streets and into the Roseland area, she said.

He crashed into another vehicle at Highway 12 near Fulton Road and ran from the scene but was caught, she said.

Green was taken to a hospital with moderate injuries. The driver of the other car was not injured.

Green’s expected to be booked on felony evading, vehicle theft and possession of stolen property charges, Kucker said. He had a warrant out for his arrest for a previous evading charge.

Police identified him as a homeless man who travels between Sonoma County and San Francisco.

- Paul Payne