Fresno police were not chasing the suspected car thief but he got arrested anyway, officers say

A 24-year-old suspected gang member was arrested Saturday after crashing a stolen car into a parked vehicle while running Fresno police officers who were not chasing him, according to police.

Officers were called around 6 p.m. to investigate a report of a stolen vehicle in the area of Fisher and Thomas Avenues. A resident provided police with a detailed description of the man and the vehicle, authorities said in a news release.

Police spotted the vehicle near Washington Avenue and Sixth Street, but the driver sped away when officers tried to stop it.

Officers opted not to chase the vehicle at that point, citing traffic conditions in the residential neighborhood, police said in the statement. However, police found the vehicle a short time later after the driver crashed into a parked car near Jackson and Iowa Avenue.

The driver ran from the vehicle but was chased down by officers in a nearby alley and captured, authorities said.

Police identified the suspected driver as 24-year-old Dominique Aguilar, who they also described as a known gang member.

He was booked into the Fresno County Jail on suspicion of possession of stolen property, possession of a stolen vehicle, violation of probation and resisting arrest.

This story was originally published February 3, 2019 at 9:53 AM.