2 in custody after cop cruiser 'rammed,' pursuit ends in Gilbert crash

GILBERT, Ariz. - A traffic stop in Gilbert quickly turned chaotic Friday night when authorities say a driver "rammed a police vehicle" and sparked a chase to protect a felony domestic violence suspect.

What we know:

Gilbert police detectives were trying to pull over a vehicle just after 8 p.m. on July 10 to arrest a passenger wanted on multiple felony domestic violence warrants. Instead of pulling over, the driver allegedly slammed into a police cruiser and sped away into the night.

The getaway didn't last long. A brief pursuit ended abruptly when the driver lost control and crashed the getaway car near Val Vista Drive and Drivers Way, police said.

Officers swarmed the wreckage and immediately arrested the passenger, 20-year-old Javier Ernesto Enriquez Fimbres. The driver, 18-year-old Oscar Francisco Enriquez Fimbres, reportedly bolted from the car and tried to escape on foot, but officers say they quickly chased him down and handcuffed him.

Both men were booked into a Maricopa County jail, where they now face more than 10 combined criminal charges.

The charges

Oscar, the driver, is being held on a $5,000 bond. He faces felony charges for fleeing from law enforcement and aggravated assault on a police officer.

Javier, the passenger whose underlying warrants sparked the initial traffic stop, faces a far more extensive rap sheet. A judge set his bond at $15,000 for a stack of charges that includes second-degree burglary, aggravated assault, criminal trespass, harassment, disorderly conduct and two felony probation violations.

Dig deeper:

While a police vehicle was heavily damaged when it was hit during the initial confrontation, authorities confirmed that no officers, bystanders or suspects were injured.

What's next:

As with all criminal cases, both men are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court — and they're due back in front of a judge on July 17.

GilbertCrime and Public SafetyNews