On Wednesday, Dec. 30 at approximately 11:15 p.m., an officer on patrol noticed a car with tinted windows and a non-functioning license plate light driving in the area of Brand Boulevard and Chevy Chase Drive. While the officer was attempting to catch up to the car, s/he noticed it appeared to be following a van very closely, taking multiple turns behind the van.

Just prior to pulling the car over for the observed violations, the van turned into a private driveway and stopped as the car continued driving. The officer conducted a traffic stop on the car and attempted to contact the driver, identified as 43-year-old Gabriel Ramirez of Los Angeles, about the violations. Ramirez would not roll down his window but eventually opened the driver’s door of the car. Upon doing so, the officer noticed a methamphetamine pipe lying on top of the driver’s door handle.

Additional officers responded to the location and approached the parked van that still had its headlights on and its engine running. Officers noticed the driver of the van had fled prior to their arrival and that the ignition had been punched. The owner of the van was contacted and it was determined that the van was an unreported stolen vehicle.

During a search of Ramirez’s vehicle, officers located a replica handgun, signed checks, a checkbook, a California ID card and debit cards belonging to other people. Additional evidence was located that linked Ramirez to the stolen van. 

Ramirez was arrested and booked for vehicle theft, identity theft, possession of drug paraphernalia and being an unlicensed driver. The stolen van was returned to its owner.