Authorities identify man who stole big rig, led slow pursuit through Newhall
By KCAL/KCBS Staff
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KERN COUNTY, California (KCAL, KCBS) — The Kern County Sheriff’s Department has disclosed new information about what led up to the slow pursuit of a stolen big rig on Thursday that ended with the truck engulfed in flames.
Kris Souza was making bizarre statements to people at the 15800 block of Edgewood Way before taking off with the big rig, according to the Kern County Sheriff’s public information officer.
After hearing that Souza fled in the white Volvo semitruck, deputies quickly learned that the suspect had several warrants for his arrest, including a felony warrant for arson and burglary.
Deputies received the call about Souza’s bizarre behavior just before 12:30 p.m. and attempted to pull him over on the eastbound side of Frazier Mountain Park Road.
After Souza refused to surrender, he led deputies on a several hour long pursuit on Interstate 5 driving as slow as 10 miles per hour.
Eventually, Souza had no other choice but to surrender to the California Highway Patrol after both front tires blew off and the truck was engulfed in flames. He nor any officers were injured after the truck caught fire.
Souza was eventually handed over to Kern County Sheriffs deputies. He was booked in a Kern County jail for felony evading an officer, resisting arrest, vehicle theft, possession of a stolen vehicle and his previous arrest warrants.
No other information about Souza was provided.
The stolen big rig was owned by a company from Ontario, Canada.
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