Stockton, CA :Fleeing gang associate takes out drivers 'like bumper cars' on Monday, July 6th 2015

One driver caused a string of crashes along several miles of March Lane just after noon Monday, damaging up to 15 vehicles and sending at least four people, including himself, to area hospitals, police reported.The driver, identified as Jorge Romero, 42, was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, driving under the influence of a controlled substance, felony hit-and-run, felony evading police and various other charges.Police said Romero is a parolee and documented gang associate with a history of using PCP, and they believe him to be violent.There were at least three separate accident scenes along March Lane from Quail Lakes Drive to West Lane, wreaking havoc with midday traffic along the heavily used corridor. The most serious was the intersection at East March and West lanes that was closed for approximately two hours in all directions.Romero, driving a white GMC Yukon, first hit several cars in the intersection of West March and Quail Lakes, police said. He then rammed a pickup, backed up and hit it again, according to police spokesman Officer Joe Silva.At some point, Romero’s actions were observed by police in an unmarked vehicle. Romero drove away from the scene, continuing to strike vehicles as he drove eastbound along March Lane. At Holiday Drive, Romero moved into oncoming traffic in the westbound lanes, and motor officers with their lights and sirens began to pursue him. He did not yield, according to Silva.After he ran a red light at West Lane, Romero ran head-on into a stopped vehicle. The impact of that crash damaged six vehicles and led to the injuries, all reported to be minor with complaints of pain, according to a report.Witnesses said officers surrounded Romero’s Yukon with their guns drawn, but he was pinned in and needed to be extricated by firefighters.Lee “Sonny” Larkins, 62, was driving a Chevrolet Impala that ended up in the pileup. His 18-year-old daughter, Natori, who reported a back injury, and 2-year-old grandson, Frankie, were with him.“I saw the police lights first. Then my daughter said, ‘Daddy, Daddy, Daddy, look out.’ By then, it was too late for me to react. I guess I could have backed up,” said Larkins. After the crash, he immediately got out and pulled his grandson from the back seat.“I was going to run to the side of the road, but an officer said to get behind the car,” he said. Larkins said he was on his way to Edison High School, where he works during the school year, to begin a training session with professional football player Lavelle Hawkins.Linden resident Roger Ruegsegger was in his Chevrolet Tahoe at the front of the line of westbound cars at the signal and had a clear view of what was coming.“I was in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Ruegsegger, 69, said. “I saw him coming the wrong way. I was lucky, though. At the last second, I had pulled to the right lane or he would have hit me head-on. His tire was already flat. It was like bumper cars when he crashed into us with no place to go. There wasn’t much you could do.”

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Fleeing gang associate takes out drivers 'like bumper cars'