Salinas police identify suspect who led them on chase in Chualar hills

UPDATED Aug. 25, 2014:

Police have identified one of the suspects who led police on a chase in the foothills outside Salinas last week as Aldi Mendoza. Police say he is a person of interest in one of the homicides that occurred earlier this month, though they have not specified which one.

Mendoza, 29, is described as 5’8″, 200 pounds, bald and brown-eyed. He has several tattoos on his head and face, including “C”, “Jules” and “NSK.” He also has a tattoo of a star on top of his head and a heulga bird on his head.

Mendoza has an outstanding felony no-bail warrant for violation of his post-release supervision and he’s also wanted for felony evading. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to contact the Salinas Police Department.

PREVIOUSLY:

Salinas police and Monterey County Sheriff’s deputies on Tuesday spent hours searching for the suspects who eluded officers that morning.

Around 7:40 a.m., officers attempted to make a traffic stop on a white Chevrolet Malibu in the area of North Main and East Laurel streets. The car didn’t yield to the lights or sirens and sped off, trying to evade the officer.

The pursuit continued through city streets, eventually moving out of city limits, where the Malibu crashed through the gates of property on Old Stage Road, continuing onto dirt roads on a ranch. Officers found the car several miles into the ranch and began an extensive search that lasted several hours.

Salinas police officers were assisted by Monterey County Sheriff’s deputies, the California Highway Patrol and SWAT teams. One woman was taken into custody but she was later determined to have no criminal involvement and was later released.

A male and female remained at large.

On Tuesday, law enforcement officials told NewsChannel 5 that they were trying to figure out if any of the suspects are related or connected in any way to one of the two homicides in Salinas Friday night.