Traffic stop leads to chase, crash

BARSTOW • A parolee led police in a brief car chase Saturday evening before crashing into a truck. There were no injuries.

Police officer Joseph Silva noticed a vehicle exit the parking lot of a convenience store at 500 Rimrock Road at about 7:30 p.m. Saturday night without its lights operating, according to a Barstow police report.

Silva attempted to stop the vehicle, but it fled the scene, crossing the center lane divider and nearly crashing with an oncoming vehicle, according to the report.

Silva followed the vehicle for several streets before it crashed into a pickup truck at the intersection of Monterey Avenue and Armory Road, careened into a brick wall and stopped, according to the report.

The driver was identified as Stephen Gumpert, 39, who was wanted on a parole violation warrant. He was taken into custody. The truck was occupied by one adult and two children, but no injuries were reported as a result of the crash, which also damaged a power line.

Gumpert was arrested and booked in the Barstow Jail for suspicion of parole violation and evading a peace officer.