Man Steals Roommate's Car, Crashes And Flees In San Mateo County: Police

SAN MATEO, CA – A 38-year-old man stole his roommate's car and crashed it into multiple vehicles before fleeing on foot Sunday in San Mateo, police said.

At 1:59 p.m. on Sunday, San Mateo Police Department officers said they responded to a report of a crash on the 100 block of 16th Avenue.

Police said the driver, later identified as Miguel Garcia, 38, of San Mateo crashed a grey Ford Explorer into an unoccupied parked catering trailer after sideswiping another unoccupied parked car.

When Garcia struck the trailer it caused damage to its attached vehicle and caused it to rear end another parked car in front of it, police said.

Witnesses said the driver fled the scene on foot before police arrived and directed officers to the 1400 block of S. B Street but police said they did not locate Garcia there.

But police did find the roommate of the suspect, who said that Garcia had taken her car without permission and she reported the car as stolen, police said.

Officers said they received a call at 4:28 p.m. about a suspicious person on the 1600 block of S. El Camino Real, where officers then found Garcia and arrested him for hit and run and vehicle theft.

Garica had minor injuries from the crash and was tended to by paramedics before being booked into the San Mateo County Jail.

"The cause of the crash is still under investigation, but it is believed alcohol may have been involved," police said.