Suspected car thieves lead Santa Rosa police on chase in residential neighborhood

A Santa Rosa man and woman suspected of stealing a Chrysler 300 led police on a short chase through a residential area before they were arrested on several felony charges Saturday night.

Police discovered methamphetamine and a loaded handgun while searching a white Honda Accord driven by Jose Hernandez, 33, of Santa Rosa, after several police vehicles surrounded the car in a northwest Santa Rosa neighborhood, said Santa Rosa police Sgt. Brandon Matthies.

Hernandez and an alleged accomplice, Ashley Fuesz, 27, of Santa Rosa, led police on a pursuit around 10 p.m., reaching speeds of 50 mph and running a stop sign in a residential area.

During the pursuit, Hernandez threw a different handgun into a yard on Sunlit Ann Drive, Matthies said.

Hernandez and Fuesz are suspected of stealing a silver Chrysler 300 from a west Santa Rosa neighborhood Friday afternoon. Witnesses helped identify the pair as the leading suspects, Matthies said. The car was recovered at a nearby Round Table Pizza parking lot Saturday night after the arrest.

A police officer spotted Hernandez and Fuesz driving near San Miguel Avenue and Northview Street and attempted to pull the car over before they drove off, Matthies said. They eventually surrendered and were arrested without incident after multiple police cars swarmed them on Francisco Avenue.

Hernandez was booked into Sonoma County Jail on vehicle theft, conspiracy and evasion charges, as well as possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and violating post-release community supervision. Fuesz was booked on similar charges, including carrying a concealed firearm in a vehicle.

Police are requesting the District Attorney’s Office also pursue additional drug charges because of the meth that was discovered in the vehicle.

You can reach Staff Writer Yousef Baig at 707-521-5390 or yousef.baig@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @YousefBaig.