Some pedestrians barely dove out of the way as the Tesla sped down the walkway. Photo: @alexhsrour//Instagram
A suspect is in custody after allegedly stealing a Tesla and nearly plowing through beachgoers on a narrow stretch of boardwalk in Pacific Beach, San Diego on Monday, September 14. Miraculously, no one was killed; however, one person received serious, but non-life-threatening, injuries.
San Diego police identified the suspect as 39-year-old Juan Antonio Gonzaba. He faces charges of driving under the influence and causing bodily injury, hit-and-run, vehicle theft, and evading police officers.
The pursuit began around 12:30 p.m. local time when San Diego police identified the Tesla as stolen and attempted to pull it over. The Tesla turned onto the narrow alleyways that separate Mission Boulevard from the boardwalk spanning three miles from Mission Beach to Pacific Beach. It hit high speeds and narrowly missed people on the path south of Crystal Pier.
The boardwalk is reserved for pedestrians and cyclists and is only about 10 feet wide where the Tesla was driving. It’s a high-traffic area for locals and tourists, providing access to surf spots in Pacific Beach. As a result, the incident and resulting pursuit were well documented, with bystanders posting videos to social media.
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It appeared that the Tesla stopped on its own around Thomas Avenue, where the suspect exited the car and started running east. Several onlookers — at least one of whom was nearly hit by the car — pursued the suspect and pinned him down in a nearby parking lot.
“I was struck by the idiot and he decided the best direction was to run,” wrote Instagram user @alexhsrour, who was the first person to subdue Gonzaba. “I chased him along with three great individuals. I truly got so overwhelmed with adrenaline.”
Another witness, Instagram user @realitycreator1111, was parked near where the Tesla came to a stop and also filmed his pursuit of Gonzaba.
Gonzaba will appear in court on Wednesday, September 16 and has bond set for $100,000.
