K9 Tracks Carjacking Suspect Hiding In Brush Near Northwest OKC Neighborhood

Police arrested a carjacking suspect on Thursday after a short pursuit and crash that caused the stolen car to catch on fire in front of a northwest Oklahoma City business.

Officers arrested Jose Pece, 20, after a lengthy foot search.

Police were patrolling near Northwest 10th Street and MacArthur Boulevard around midnight when they spotted a suspicious car. “Spotted a car that was driving without headlights,” said Sgt. Dillon Quirk, Oklahoma City Police Department. “Attempted to pull that car over on a traffic stop, that vehicle fled from police.”

The pursuit did not last long. The driver took a sharp turn off MacArthur Boulevard onto northwest 16th Street when the car hit a curb and went airborne, crash landing onto a parking lot. The car landed on its side and caught on fire as it slid across the pavement. Police said Pece took off on foot and left his passenger in the car. Fire crews quickly extinguished the fire and police did not say if the passenger was injured or arrested.

“A canine unit was utilized after officers surrounded the area and were able to set up a perimeter looking for that suspect,” said Quirk.

A resident living a block from the crash scene caught the canine and officers on her home camera searching her yard for Pece. The canine tracked Pece across the street hiding in dense brush. During the investigation police learned the car Pece was driving was stolen during a carjacking shortly before the crash.

“The victim was in the area of Interstate 44 and Penn,” said Quirk.

Police took Pece to the hospital before he was booked into the Oklahoma County Detention Center.

“I don’t know what those injuries included if they were sustained solely in the collision or if that canine did bite the suspect,” said Quirk. 

Police said the carjacking victim was assaulted before Pece took off with the car. The victim was found walking near Interstate 44.