09/22/2026
2. September 28th Stop Stick News – Stolen vehicle leads deputies, helicopter through south county – California
Source: Monterey Herald | By: Chris Hamilton
A stolen vehicle pursuit led sheriff’s deputies through Monterey County, before a spike strip stopped the vehicle. The pursuit began when Monterey County Sheriff’s Deputies were alerted to a stolen Volkswagen, which had been reported stolen earlier that day. Deputies attempted to pull the vehicle over, however the driver continued without yielding. An 18 mile pursuit ensued, at speeds between 50 to 60 mph. Deputies called California Highway Patrol for help, which deployed a helicopter to coordinate the pursuit. Deputies took this opportunity to attempt a PIT maneuver. The deputy made contact with the stolen vehicle, but the maneuver was not able to stop it. CHP deployed a spike strip and made successful contact, piercing both driver-side tires. The car stopped a short distance, pulling over to the side of the highway where deputies and CHP officers took the driver, 54-year-old Funda Yilmaz, into custody without further incident.
A man with a felony warrant out of California is in custody after allegedly leading Des Moines police officers on a car chase Tuesday afternoon. Police initiated a traffic stop just before 4 p.m. after they saw a man in a truck drive into a median on Iowa Highway 65 near city limits in south Des Moines. During the stop, the officer learned that the driver, 29-year-old Matthew Pecoraro, had an active felony warrant out of San Joaquin County for an assault offense. Police said Pecoraro sped away from the scene, leading police on a pursuit that lasted 25 miles. The chase continued south on Highway 5 before ending near Pleasantville after police used stop sticks.
