Pasadena Police Arrest Two Armed Suspects After Brief Pursuit

Pasadena police arrested two men suspected of trafficking in narcotics after a brief car chase Friday night.

Pasadena Police Chief Phillip L. Sanchez said officers were able to recover about a half ounce of methamphetamine in the suspects’ vehicle and a semi-automatic handgun earlier discarded by the suspects as they were being pursued.

Sanchez said detectives from the Special Investigation Unit and officers from the Special Enforcement Section were working collaboratively to reduce narcotic trafficking at several local area hotels when they saw a suspicious vehicle with two men on board leave a hotel in the 2000 block of East Colorado Boulevard at about 8:27 p.m.

“Pasadena Police Sergeants Aguilar and Bzdigian observed the vehicle, developed sufficient probable cause, and initiated a traffic stop near Hill Avenue and Mountain Street,” Sanchez said. “There were two occupants in the vehicle and the driver failed to yield. Aguilar and Bzdigian initiated a vehicle pursuit.”

As the pursuit was in progress, a witness in the 900 block of North Euclid Avenue saw one of the suspects throw something onto the sidewalk and later confirmed it was a handgun.

The suspects – identified as Jose Camacho, 26, a Pasadena resident, and Mauricio Camacho, 21, from San Bernardino – were later stopped near Barthe and Mountain Streets.

Police officers also recovered the loaded handgun on the sidewalk on North Euclid Avenue.

The suspects were booked at the Pasadena jail. During follow-up investigation, SES officers and SIU detectives located an additional amount of methamphetamine at the hotel where they were staying and arrested two females, both unidentified as of this time.

Sanchez said the case is another example that underscores “the proactive police work and collaborative efforts” by Pasadena Police officers and detectives.

“The case also demonstrates the important role that our community plays in the effort to keep our streets safe. Without the witness statements from a courageous community member, PPD officers may not have recovered the loaded firearm discarded by the suspects.”