A Bizarre Crime Turns Into a High-Speed Pursuit

Law enforcement officials in California detained a man suspected of vandalism after he stole a Sacramento police cruiser and led officers on a dramatic freeway chase Friday afternoon. The incident involving the stolen Sacramento police cruiser ended only after a series of intense maneuvers across multiple counties.

What began as a routine vandalism call quickly escalated into one of the more unusual pursuits the area has seen.

How It All Started

According to Sacramento police, officers responded just after 12:30 p.m. to a report of vandalism near Marysville Boulevard and South Avenue.

A caller told police that a homeless man had thrown a bucket at her tire and then chased her with a large stick. Police said the man went on to strike the caller’s window with the stick, prompting officers to attempt to detain him.

That’s when the situation took a dramatic turn.

The Cruiser Theft

When officers tried to take the man into custody, he managed to break free — and seized an unexpected opportunity. He jumped into a marked patrol vehicle and drove off, immediately triggering a pursuit.

Video obtained from KCRA 3 captured the moment, showing the man evading police, climbing into the cruiser, and speeding away. A nearby officer quickly began chasing the stolen vehicle.

The Chase Hits the Freeway

The California Highway Patrol (CHP) soon took over the pursuit, which stretched onto the freeway and covered significant ground before finally coming to an end in the Lodi area.

The timeline of the chase unfolded rapidly:

• At 1:36 p.m., officers were seen pursuing the stolen vehicle southbound on Highway 99 in the Galt area of Sacramento County
• At 1:42 p.m., a CHP officer attempted a PIT maneuver in the Lodi area of San Joaquin County, striking the back of the cruiser — but the driver kept fleeing, now with visible rear bumper damage
• At 1:47 p.m., a CHP cruiser hit the back of the stolen vehicle again, yet it still failed to stop the driver

A Surrender on the Highway

Just about a minute after the final impact, the situation came to an abrupt close. The man motioned his hands out of the vehicle, allowed the cruiser to slow down, and then exited and lay down on the ground.

Officers circled him and took him into custody on the highway near Turner Road. Southbound Highway 99 lanes were temporarily blocked during the arrest but have since reopened.

The Suspect and the Charges

The man in custody was identified as 28-year-old Isaac Paval. Police said he has a criminal history in Sacramento and was on pretrial probation for a DUI at the time of the incident.

Sacramento Police spokesperson Anthony Gamble said Paval was taken to the hospital for treatment and will be booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail on multiple felony charges related to the pursuit.

An Ongoing Investigation

Gamble noted that the incident remains under investigation, including the possibility that Paval may have allegedly possessed a rifle.

As authorities continue to piece together the full sequence of events, the case stands out as a striking reminder of how quickly a minor disturbance can spiral into a dangerous, multi-county chase. Further details are expected as the investigation progresses.