SALINAS — Officers with the Salinas Police Department arrested three men on attempted murder charges Tuesday night following a shooting and vehicle pursuit.
At 9:36 p.m. Tuesday, officers responded to a call of a shooting on the 600 block of Yreka Drive. When they arrived, officers found a 40-year-old man with a gunshot wound to the body. The men fled the area in a charcoal colored Dodge Charger but a witness was able to provide dispatch with a partial license plate number.
The vehicle was spotted in North Salinas and a police vehicle pursuit began. The pursuit went through North and South Salinas at speeds above 90 mph before the driver lost control of the vehicle while making a turn from Blanco to San Juan Drive and the Charger collided with a parked car.
According to the Salinas Police Department, the men fled the vehicle immediately on foot. Officers caught Rafael Arteaga, 21, near the vehicle and found he was wearing body armor. Officers located an AR-15 rifle with a 30-round magazine, a Glock 9mm handgun with an extended magazine and a large amount of marijuana inside the vehicle.
Officers caught Carlos Chavez,19, on La Mesa Drive and took him into custody. An officer shot Jaime Pena, 25, with a stun gun and took him into custody. Salinas police say he was armed with a loaded 40-caliber handgun.
The three men were booked into Monterey County Jail and face various charges including attempted murder.
The 40-year-old victim was taken to a local hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening.
This investigation is ongoing and police ask anyone with information to contact Detective Derek Gibson at 831-758-7442 or derekg@ci.salinas.ca.us.
