Latest news with #Kuceja
New York Post
06-05-2025
- New York Post
Suspected car thief hurls live grenade at Calif. cops during wild car chase
In a scene ripped from the video game franchise Grand Theft Auto, a suspected car thief tossed a live grenade at cops during a wild car chase Friday, causing panic in a residential California neighborhood. California Highway Patrol officers narrowly avoided catastrophe Friday when the suspect, Carlos Kuceja, 28, hurled the explosive device at them in an effort to avoid capture while driving through Berkeley. 3 The live grenade that a suspect hurled at police during a chase in Oakland. California Highway Patrol Advertisement The nearly disastrous incident began when CHP officers tried to pull over Kuceja in Oakland at approximately 3:30 p.m. after he was seen allegedly driving in a stolen car, cops said in a press release. 'When the officers attempted to stop the vehicle, Kuceja fled, and a pursuit ensued,' CHP said. 'The pursuit proceeded at slow speeds through Oakland and entered the city of Berkeley.' Kuceja threw a bag from the driver's side window during the pursuit, officers said. Another cop not involved in the chase probed the bag only to make the explosive discovery. Advertisement 'Upon looking inside, the officer observed what appeared to be a grenade with the safety pin partially removed,' police said in a statement. CHP notified the Berkeley Police Department of the grenade and requested assistance while telling local residents to evacuate their homes. The University of California, Berkeley, Explosive Ordnance Disposal team responded to the area, secured the grenade and cleared the area by 5 p.m., police said. 3 California Highway Patrol officers narrowly avoided catastrophe when a suspect hurled a grenade at them during a chase Friday. Sundry Photography – Meanwhile, the chase for the suspect continued. Kuceja abandoned the stolen vehicle and tried to make his getaway on foot, police said. Advertisement Officers chased after him and cornered him on a dead-end street. The UCPD Bomb Team also searched the abandoned car and determined there were no additional explosives in the vehicle. 3 Police take suspect Carlos Kuceja, 28, into custody after a harrowing car chase in which he allegedly hurled a grenade at pursuing officers. KTVU After acquiring a search warrant, officers also scoured Kuceja's residence — a multi-home dwelling where police say he was living illegally –– for other explosives, but none were found, police said. Advertisement Residents at the location were temporarily evacuated while police conducted their search. They were allowed back into their homes by 10:30 p.m., police said. Kuceja was arrested on felony charges of possession and transportation of a destructive device, possession of a stolen vehicle, fleeing police and resisting arrest, police said.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Yahoo
California Driver Tosses Live Grenade Out of Stolen Vehicle During Police Chase, Cops Say
A California man was arrested on Friday after authorities say he engaged in some very unexpected activity during a car chase: according to police, he tossed a live hand grenade from a stolen vehicle. According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP) – Golden Gate Division, the grenade was in a bag with the pin partially removed when it was tossed out the window of the fleeing car. According to the post on the CHP – Golden Gate Division's Facebook page, the incident occurred on Friday, May 2 just after 3:30 pm, when officers spotted a stolen vehicle on 38th Street and Cerrito Avenue in Oakland. The vehicle, which the CHP says was being driven by 28-year-old Carlos Kuceja of Berkeley, California, allegedly fled when police attempted to pull him over. During the pursuit, CHP said their officers observed Kuceja throwing a bag from the driver's-side window. A nearby CHP officer examined the bag and noticed the grenade inside, according to authorities; the University of California, Berkeley, Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) team was then notified and secured the grenade after confirming it was live and capable of exploding, with police evacuating nearby homes and businesses. The grenade found resembles a Mk.2 'pineapple' fragmentation-style grenade, which was used by the U.S. military for many years and was standard issue for soldiers in World War II. These can send lethal fragments up to about 150 feet away. Despite the alleged grenade toss, Kuceja was not able to escape: authorities say that during the pursuit he turned down a dead-end street, and was captured when he tried to flee on foot, at which time the car was search and no other explosives were found. Police say they also searched the multi-unit home where Kuceja lived and found no additional explosives at his residence. Kuceja was arrested and sent to Santa Rita Jail in Dublin, where he faces numerous charges including possession of a stolen vehicle, fleeing from police, resisting arrest, and — not surprisingly — possession and transportation of a destructive device. You Might Also Like You Need a Torque Wrench in Your Toolbox Tested: Best Car Interior Cleaners The Man Who Signs Every Car
