Police: Pursuit suspect was under the influence, had committed mail thefts prior to crash

DANVILLE – The suspect from an April pursuit that ended in a crash on Camino Tassajara had committed mail thefts prior to the chase and was under the influence of a controlled substance, according to police.

Just before 3:00 pm on Saturday, April 14th, 2018, police were notified of a stolen vehicle driving on Camino Tassajara. When the suspect vehicle was spotted, officers engaged in a high-speed chase before the vehicle crashed.

Last week, Danville Police Chief Allan Shields provided more information regarding the incident. After the collision, the driver of the stolen vehicle, 49-year-old Christopher Hurst, was arrested for being under the influence of a controlled substance, probation violation, resisting arrest, driving while under the influence of a drug, evading police in a vehicle, possession of burglary tools, forgery, possession of a stolen vehicle, identity theft and mail theft.

Shields said mail, identification documents and identity information belonging to sixty-six people were found at the scene of the single vehicle collision. The evidence was located both on the roadway and inside the totaled vehicle.

Hurst was transported to the hospital for minor injuries after the collision, which carried enough force that it severed a portion of the vehicle.

According to detention records, Hurst has been in custody since the incident. It’s unknown if he has been formally charged with the alleged crimes.

Just two days before the suspect was arrested, several unincorporated east Danville residents reported having mail stolen from their mailboxes. Vague images suspect were captured by a neighbor’s surveillance camera. Identification items belonging to unincorporated east Danville residents were found at the scene of the April collision. According to a citizen who witnessed the suspect’s arrest, the person in the video looks similar to the suspect in custody.