Delivery Truck Theft Sparks SWAT Standoff

Fremont police arrested a man after a stolen UPS truck chase turned into a four-hour barricade early Thursday on Grimmer Boulevard. (ktvu.com) (nbcbayarea.com) The standoff began at 1:32 a.m., when officers were sent to the 5500 block of Cushing Parkway for reports of a delivery truck being driven erratically. Police said they started a short pursuit after confirming the truck had been stolen. (nbcbayarea.com) (cbsnews.com) The truck became disabled on Grimmer Boulevard north of Auto Mall Parkway, near Doane Street, and the driver stayed inside for hours. Fremont police sent crisis negotiators and the department’s Special Response Team to the scene while traffic was diverted. (nbcbayarea.com) (ktvu.com) Police said they initially received unconfirmed information that the suspect might be armed, but Sgt. Cooper Mauldin later said no weapon was fired. No injuries were immediately reported. (ktvu.com) (abc7news.com) The standoff ended around 5:40 to 5:45 a.m., when the suspect came out of the truck and surrendered. Video from the scene showed him crawling out from the back of the vehicle before officers detained him. (abc7news.com) (nbcbayarea.com) KTVU identified the suspect as 27-year-old Rafael Taniguchi Garcia of Union City. The station reported he complained of a headache, was taken to a hospital, then was booked into Santa Rita Jail. (ktvu.com) Garcia was booked on suspicion of unlawful taking or driving of a vehicle, felony reckless evading, and resisting a peace officer, according to Fremont police as reported by KTVU. ABC7 reported Garcia’s mother said he was a former UPS worker and had a history of mental health issues. (ktvu.com) (abc7news.com) By about 7 a.m., police expected the area near Grimmer Boulevard and Auto Mall Parkway to reopen. The investigation into where the truck was taken and why remained unfinished Thursday morning. (nbcbayarea.com) (abc7news.com)