Davis Police Car Rammed During Pursuit Of Theft Suspect

DAVIS (CBS13) — An Oakland man driving a stolen vehicle rammed a patrol car early Friday morning in an attempt to escape but eventually fled on foot before he was captured, Davis police said.

Officer Pheng Ly was patrolling in the 1800 block of Cowell Blvd. when he ran the plates on an Acura and it came back stolen out of Oakland, police said. When he attempted to stop the car, the driver sped off.

The driver, identified as Teluluai Francis Lesui, 25, led officers on a high-speed chase around south Davis before Ly tried to block him in Benbow Court. Lesui reportedly rammed the officer's patrol car and managed to get out of the cul-de-sac.

The suspect eventually ditched the stolen Acura in the parking lot of 3000 Lillard and ran away on foot. He was located hiding in the back yard of a house in the 1200 block of Drummond Avenue and taken into custody. Methamphetamine was found in a search of the Acura, police said.

Lesui was booked at the Yolo County Jail on charges of vehicle theft, evading police officers, assault with a deadly weapon and possession/transportation of a controlled substance.

Police in Davis say they've seen a spike in stolen vehicles over the past month, particularly Honda and Acura models, and that they've also recovered several vehicles stolen from the Bay Area.