Man Arrested After Police Pursuit Into East Palo Alto

EAST PALO ALTO, CA — A man was taken into custody after fleeing from a traffic stop and leading police on a brief pursuit from Menlo Park to East Palo Alto on Monday night, according to police.

Ricardo Ramirez Ortiz, 29, was arrested after a traffic stop for a vehicle code violation in the area of East O'Keefe Street and Menalto Avenue, Menlo Park police said.

As the officer approached the vehicle, Ramirez Ortiz allegedly fled south on East O'Keefe Street into East Palo Alto. After the brief pursuit, the vehicle came to a stop and Ramirez Ortiz and another man fled on foot in the 300 block of East O'Keefe, according to police.

The vehicle was not placed into park so it continued moving and hit an unoccupied parked vehicle. Ramirez Ortiz, an East Palo Alto resident, was taken into custody after a brief pursuit but his passenger eluded arrest, police said.

A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed drug paraphernalia and narcotics, and a records search indicated Ramirez Ortiz had an outstanding warrant for his arrest.

Ramirez Ortiz has been booked into San Mateo County Jail on suspicion of evading police, resisting or obstructing an officer, hit-and-run, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a controlled substance for sale, police said.

—Bay City News