Family left to clean up after police chase ends with crash in their front yard

RENO, Nev. (KOLO) - A car drove through the front yard of a home Monday.

Josue Vasquez and his parents were going about their night when they heard a loud noise outside their home at 9th Street and Silverada Boulevard.

“It sounded like an explosion,” he said. “We all panic and come outside and see, you know, the car in the lawn next door and then a bunch of police telling us to go back inside.”

Vasquez thought it was a drunk driver, but to his surprise, the car had been stolen and the man behind the wheel was fleeing from the police.

It all started around 8:30 p.m. Monday night when the Sparks Police Department says they tried to stop a stolen Honda CRV near the Dotty’s on Oddie Boulevard. The driver, later identified as Miguel Vargas-Cortez, took off, and a short time later he drove into Vasquez’s brother-in-law’s car, hit the fence, and some trees and rolled at least one time before landing next door.

“We don’t know what’s going to happen with the insurance and who’s going to pay for what and you know, this is going to take a while to clean up,” said Vasquez. “We have to clean it up ourselves ‘cause it’s our property. It’s just a fence and some bushes, but it’s been here since we were kids. So, you know, it’s a sentimental type of thing.”

The driver was arrested, and while Vasquez feels angry something like this could happen outside his home, he is also thankful no one was hurt.

“I’m glad he didn’t like crash into… you know, my son could’ve been there,” he said while pointing at his room that faces the yard.

Vargas-Cortez was arrested on the following charges: Possession of a stolen motor vehicle, possession of a stolen firearm, eluding a police officer, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, driving with a revoked license, reckless driving, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

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