CHP pilot lands helicopter to assist in arresting a stolen vehicle suspect after pursuit in Solano

A driver in a stolen car led authorities on a pursuit in Solano County on Saturday before officers arrested him with the use of spike strips and a law enforcement helicopter, police said.

One of the arresting officers was from the California Highway Patrol and jumped out of the helicopter when the pilot lowered the aircraft, according to Fairfield police.

The pursuit began after a Fairfield police officer located the stolen vehicle just before 7 p.m. in the area of Lopes Road and Auto Plaza Court, near where Interstates 80 and 680 meet.

The 24-year-old driver was identified — police didn’t specify how — as Wilhem Rivas, who had outstanding arrest warrants for suspected violations of the terms of post-release community supervision, which is similar to parole, according to police.

Fairfield police officers waited for a CHP helicopter, then tried to stop Rivas, who led them on a pursuit east on I-80 toward Dixon, then back in the opposite direction, police said.

Eventually, spike strips forced the car to halt on the shoulder of westbound I-80 near Manuel Campos Parkway, police said. Rivas then got out and ran up a hilltop, but a Fairfield officer and the CHP officer who jumped out of the helicopter arrested him.