On July 22, 2019, at approximately 9:06 p.m., a Menlo Park police officer attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle for a vehicle code violation in the area of E. O’Keefe Street and Menalto Avenue in the City of Menlo Park.
As the officer approached the stopped vehicle, the driver fled southbound on E. O’Keefe St. into the City of East Palo Alto. Officers pursued the vehicle a short distance when the vehicle came to a stop and two adult males fled on foot in the 300 block of E. O’Keefe Street. The vehicle was not put into park and subsequently collided into an unoccupied, parked vehicle. A short foot pursuit ensued and the driver was taken into custody. The passenger was not located.
After a search of the vehicle and the driver, drug paraphernalia and illegal narcotics were located. A records check indicated the driver had an outstanding $7,500 warrant for his arrest. The driver, Ricardo Ramirez Ortiz, a 29 year old male of East Palo Alto, was arrested and booked into San Mateo County jail on the following charges:
◦2800.1 VC - Evading a peace officer
◦148(a)(1) PC - Resist or obstruct an officer
◦20002 VC - Hit and run/non-injury
◦11364(a) HS - Possession of paraphernalia
◦11378 HS - Possession of a controlled substance for sale
The case is under investigation, and the Police Department asks anyone who might have information regarding this case and/or who witnessed this incident, to call 650-330-6300 or the Anonymous Tip Hotline at 650-330-6395.
