Stockton Unified school official arrested after investigation into a Dec. high-speed chase
Stockton Unified School District custodial operations manager Randy San Nicolas was arrested Thursday for conspiracy, accessory after the fact, and filing a false police report in connection to a December high-speed pursuit that authorities said involved his grandson.
At around 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 16, San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office deputies chased after a vehicle beginning in Lincoln Center. The pursuit lasted about three miles and reached speeds of at least 65 mph on residential streets.
Authorities said the officers terminated the pursuit for safety reasons when the suspect drove back into Lincoln Center, which had numerous pedestrians that night.
Detectives later identified San Nicolas, 59, of Stockton, as the registered owner of the vehicle. Authorities said San Nicolas was "uncooperative" with the investigation, prompting investigators to obtain search warrants for his work, home and vehicle.
Investigators recovered controlled substances and an unregistered firearm from San Nicolas' home, officials with the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office said. San Nicolas was issued a citation for possession of cocaine and the unregistered firearm was seized.
Authorities said the investigation continued and probable cause was established to believe that San Nicolas and his wife — Roseann San Nicolas, 55, of Stockton — lied to law enforcement in order to conceal the identity of the driver involved in the pursuit. Police said they determined that the driver — Joseph Terrones, 19, of Stockton — was San Nicolas' grandson.
The sheriff’s office said it believes that after being made aware of the pursuit, the San Nicolases filed a false police report claiming their license plate was stolen and removed distinct identifying marks from the vehicle in an attempt to claim someone else was involved in the pursuit.
The San Nicolases and Terrones were arrested without incident Thursday. The San Nicolases were booked into the San Joaquin County Jail on suspicion of conspiracy, accessory after the fact, and filing a false police report. Terrones was booked on suspicion of felony evading.
Officials with the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office were unable to confirm if the San Nicolases and Terrones were still in custody on Friday.
The Stockton Unified School District released the following statement on San Nicolas' arrest:
"The San Joaquin County Sheriff's Department made us aware of the arrest of Mr. San Nicolas and explained the charges have nothing to do with SUSD. Mr. San Nicolas is on leave during the investigation."
San Nicolas' arrest comes just five months after the August arrest of former Stockton Unified School District superintendent John Ramirez Jr., on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol.
Record reporter Hannah Workman covers news in Stockton and San Joaquin County. She can be reached at hworkman@recordnet.com or on Twitter @byhannahworkman. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at https://www.recordnet.com/subscribenow.
This article originally appeared on The Record: Stockton school official arrested in connection to a high-speed chase
