Carjacking and crashing, wrong-way driving, armed Thug arrested after insane GTA-like pursuit.

MARTINEZ — A 28-year-old East Bay man who was out on bail in a manslaughter case last June when he allegedly committed multiple carjackings, a kidnapping, head-on collided with a police SUV, and ran across multiple freeways — one after falling roughly 20 feet onto pavement and being hit by a car — is expected to stand trial early next year.Show more

Victor Topete, of Pittsburg, is facing 15 felonies and three misdemeanor charges, all stemming from a two-day period last June when Topete allegedly led police on multiple chases across city streets and Bay Area freeways in an ultimately failed attempt to escape. During the ordeal, which started in Pittsburg and ended in Oakland, Topete allegedly told people he believed the pursuing officers wanted to hurt him.

Judge Rebecca Hardie ordered Topete to stand trial after his preliminary hearing last October, which he attended in a wheelchair due to injuries sustained during the chase, according to a transcript.

The manhunt culminated on June 13, 2020, at Fish Ranch Road in Orinda, in an incident captured on multiple law enforcement videos that were recently obtained by this newspaper. Topete allegedly drove a Ford F250 he’d stolen from his dad into an SUV being driven by Lafayette Ofc. Kevin White, resulting in a head-on crash. Minutes earlier, the truck had been seen driving in the wrong direction on the shoulder of Highway 24.