Pleasanton police arrest man accused of driving into officer

Pleasanton police arrested a Hayward man Friday afternoon after he allegedly ran down a local police officer with his car while fleeing a residential burglary scene two days earlier.

Detectives had been investigating the case since the incident occurred Wednesday evening near Montevino Drive and Crellin Road, and they identified Christian Alexander Ayala as their suspect after receiving a tip from another Bay Area law enforcement agency working a similar case, according to Sgt. Aaron Fountain.

Investigators executed a search warrant at Ayala’s Hayward home Friday afternoon and allegedly found stolen guns, high-capacity magazines, ammunition, stolen property and methamphetamine.

Ayala, 27, was booked into jail on suspicion of resisting a peace officer resulting in serious bodily injury, assault with a deadly weapon, being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, possession of stolen property and drug possession, Fountain said.

Ayala has prior arrests for burglary, weapons violations and drug sales in the Bay Area, according to the sergeant.

The officer is home recovering, and it’s unclear how long the serious leg injury will keep him off work, according to Fountain. The injured officer, whose name has not been released, but he has worked in law enforcement for more than six years, including the past four with Pleasanton police.

The incident unfolded just before 5:30 p.m. Wednesday when a man called police to report his Montevino Drive home was being burglarized, Fountain said. The homeowner had received a motion alert from his in-home security system and surveillance footage showed a stranger ransacking the home, the sergeant added.

Pleasanton police responded to the home on the 700 block of Montevino Drive, off Vineyard Avenue, and approaching officers found a man nearby sitting inside a newer-model Honda Accord, Fountain said. The car’s engine revved up and the car sped away from the scene southbound on Montevino Drive.

Moments later, a second officer spotted a vehicle matching the Honda’s description at the intersection of Montevino Drive and Crellin Road, according to the sergeant.

The officer got out of his patrol car and told the driver to stop, at which point the driver refused to comply and accelerated toward the officer, Fountain said. The Honda hit the officer and sped away westbound on Crellin Road.

More officers soon arrived to the area and set up a perimeter but were unable to find the car that day, Fountain said.

Ayala was identified as the culprit during the ensuing investigation and he was arrested Friday afternoon, according to the sergeant. Police are investigating whether Ayala could be tied to other break-ins in Pleasanton.

The vehicle used to run down the Pleasanton police officer is still outstanding. Police identified the car as a gray 2014 Honda Accord (License No. 7HGH558). The vehicle may also be displaying blue and white Hayward Honda dealer paper plates and an Uber sticker on the upper front windshield.

To report a sighting of the car or provide more information about the case, call Pleasanton police at 931-5100.