Identified: Visalia Police Arrest Man Accused of Fleeing Police, Leaving Disabled Mother Behind

Visalia Police Arrest Man Accused of Fleeing Police, Leaving Disabled Mother Behind

By Anthony W. Haddad

Published 3 weeks ago on

April 30, 2025

Stephen Garret Gomes, 44, was arrested Wednesday, April 30, 2025, after fleeing police during a traffic stop, crashing his vehicle, and abandoning his disabled mother inside. (Visalia PD)

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A man was arrested Wednesday morning after fleeing from police, crashing his vehicle, and abandoning his elderly, disabled mother inside, authorities said.

Around 10:53 a.m., a Visalia Police Department officer attempted a traffic stop on a vehicle displaying false registration near Walnut Avenue and Santa Fe Street.

Police said the driver failed to yield and led officers on a brief pursuit into a trailer park in the 2100 block of South Santa Fe Avenue.

The pursuit was quickly called off for public safety reasons, but moments later, the vehicle crashed into a fence and the driver fled on foot, leaving his mother behind, officers said.

Police established a perimeter and located the suspect nearby. He was identified as Stephen Garret Gomes, 44, and was arrested.

Gomes was booked on multiple charges, including DUI, felony evading, and elder abuse, police said.

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Anthony W. Haddad,

Multimedia Journalist

Anthony W. Haddad, who graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with his undergraduate degree and attended Fresno State for a MBA, is the Swiss Army knife of GV Wire. He writes stories, manages social media, and represents the organization on the ground.