Police identify suspect accused of killing a pedestrian, injuring Soledad Police Chief during chase

SOLEDAD, Calif. (KION) UPDATE 10:45 a.m. Greenfield Police have identified the pedestrian killed as 65-year-old Guadalupe Garcia.

Police said Garcia was a well-known member of the community and that he was "a good person." Greenfield PD also confirms the victim has a relative that works in local law enforcement but would not specify which agency at this time.

Soledad Police Chief Damon Wasson also issued a statement to KION saying, in part, "I am saddened to know that an innocent person was killed but am glad the Greenfield officer and the other officers were not hurt seriously; and we were able to arrest the suspect."

The other officer hurt in this incident suffered a minor injury along with Chief Wasson.

The suspect was identified as 25-year-old Paulo Cesar Alcaraz Ortiz and he is facing a murder charge in relation to the incident.

Paulo Ortiz is facing murder charges in relation to the Soledad car chase on Tuesday, Nov. 17

UPDATE Nov. 17 9:50 a.m. Greenfield Police Department identified the suspect involved in the car chase that killed a pedestrian and injured a Greenfield police officer and Soledad Police Chief.

Captain Gullermo Mixer, with Greenfield PD, confirmed that Paulo Cesar Alcaraz Ortiz is the chase suspect. He was booked to Monterey County Jail.

UPDATE: KION learned one of the officers injured in a chase that ended in Soledad was Soledad Police Chief Damon Wasson.

Investigators on scene said Chief Wasson struck the car of a driver, head-on, who hit and killed a pedestrian Tuesday afternoon following a chase that started in Greenfield.

Wasson is one of two officers who suffered minor injuries in the incident.

The pedestrian who was killed has not been identified.

ORIGINAL STORY:

A pedestrian was killed and two officers are injured after a police chase this morning from Greenfield to Soledad.

Greenfield Police said the suspect was seen driving erratically through the city. Officers say he may have been under the influence.

Police said the pursuit started in Greenfield. The driver jumped on the 101 Freeway north toward Soledad.

Investigators said the suspect drove into the downtown area and appeared to be trying to hit people walking in the area. The suspect drove into a shopping center and rammed a police vehicle, according to police. One Greenfield officer and one Soledad officer were injured.

The driver then hit and killed an older man who was walking near Nestles and Front Street, according to investigators. The suspect was arrested and police said he will be charged with murder.

Police warned people to avoid the area. This is still an active investigation.