A High Speed Pursuit, Shoplifting, and Hit-and-Run Start the Holiday Weekend

This weekend brought forth much excitement for the San Angelo Police Department in various forms and characters, and Friday, some people decided to get an early start.

To begin, at approximately 9:48 a.m., an SAPD Officer observed a silver 1997 Honda Passenger Car traveling east on Loop 306 (near Bryant), driving recklessly with audible acceleration. The driver was also recklessly changing lanes and passing other vehicles during his course. Sgt. Cade Solsbery, public information officer, said the officer tried to catch up to the vehicle and was finally able to make a traffic stop in the parking lot of the West Texas Training Center. The vehicle reached speeds of 90 to 100 mph, only slowing down to enter the WTTC.

The vehicle’s passenger, a 16 year-old male, stated he told the driver to slow down many times, but he failed to listen. Thus, the driver, a 16-year-old male, was arrested for Reckless Driving and transported to the Tom Green County Juvenile Justice Center. The vehicle was released to a family member. WTTC staff was notified of the incident and officials stated there have been issues with students driving recklessly/speeding and they have had to warn several students that if the issues persist, it will result in their removal from the program.

Later that afternoon, while working off-duty, a uniformed Security Officer for Dillard’s was walking through the Sunset Mall from the men`s store to the women`s at approximately 1:40 p.m. As the officer was approaching the women`s Dillard’s store, a man, later identified as Seveion Cardoza Jr., 47, was observed exiting the women`s store carrying two Michael Kors purses walking very quickly into the Sunset Mall. Cardoza was also carrying a large red and white bag, which only had an empty box in it. The officer has worked Security for Dillard’s for several years, and knew the Michael Kors bags Cardoza had in his hand were stolen due to the actions he was exhibiting and the purses were not in a Dillard’s sales bag. Cardoza was then arrested for "Class-B" Theft, given a Criminal Trespass Warning from Dillard’s and transported to the Tom Green County Jail, by an on-duty SAPD Officer.

Also earlier that morning, around 10 a.m., near 100 E. Riverside, there was a vehicle that veered for an unknown reason off the roadway, drove across the yard and struck the mailboxes of residences of 108 and 110 E. Riverside. The driver then fled the scene.