Chase of stolen truck snarls Bay Bridge traffic

A man was arrested along a San Francisco freeway Monday after he stole a box truck from his former employer in the East Bay and then tried to evade police capture, prompting a 90-minute pursuit that temporarily closed the westbound Bay Bridge, authorities said.

CHP officers grabbed Hector Fuentes, 46, of Fairfield as he tried to flee the idled truck along Highway 101 at Cesar Chavez Street about 10 a.m., said CHP Officer Mike Ferguson.

The tires of the truck, which reportedly contained about $60,000 worth of cabinets, had blown out after the suspect drove over a spike strip laid by officers.

The chase snarled traffic during the morning commute and into the early afternoon as authorities took the precaution of shutting down Interstate 80 westbound across the Bay Bridge and southbound Highway 101 in San Francisco. The truck was on the freeway for nearly two hours after the pursuit ended.

"The truck was so badly damaged ... it took us quite a while to get it mobile again," Ferguson said.

The pursuit began in Fairfield about 8:30 a.m., shortly after Fuentes' former employer reported a stolen truck, authorities said. "Apparently, he had some knowledge of the operation and had access to the trucks and decided he was going to take one," Ferguson said.

Fuentes had recently been let go, the company told the CHP. After taking the truck, Fuentes allegedly refused to pull over when officers ordered him to do so and led authorities on a chase through the East Bay at speeds of up to 65 mph.

A man was arrested after a police chase across the Bay Bridge snarled morning traffic. A man was arrested after a police chase across the Bay Bridge snarled morning traffic. Photo: CBS San Francisco Photo: CBS San Francisco Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Chase of stolen truck snarls Bay Bridge traffic 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

A spike strip laid on a connector ramp between Interstate 80 and the Bay Bridge toll plaza caused the truck's tires to deflate, slowing the vehicle and eventually bringing it to a halt on the other side of the bridge.

Fuentes was booked on suspicion of auto theft, evading a peace officer, obstructing a peace officer and possessing stolen merchandise.