Homeowner opens fire on suspected burglar — who heads into another residence, steals truck, leads cops on high-speed chase

A homeowner in Sacramento, California, opened fire on a suspected burglar Friday afternoon, and the alleged crook headed into a different residence, stole a truck, and then led police on a high-speed chase.

The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office told KOVR-TV it received a 3 p.m. call about a burglary along Chandler Drive in south Sacramento.

Sheriff’s spokesperson Amar Gandhi said in KOVR’s video report that the suspect is a ‘lifelong criminal’ with a record showing more than 20 years of ‘theft charges, gun charges, drug charges — you name it, he’s got everything under the sun.’

Deputies told KCRA-TV the alleged thief — 40-year-old Emelio Correa — tried to break in; the family inside shouted for him to go away, but he refused.

Authorities told the station the suspect failed to get into the home — and investigators said the homeowner fired at least one gunshot at the suspect, KOVR noted. Deputies indicated the homeowner — a legal gun owner — shot the suspect in the hand, KCRA-TV reported, adding that the suspect’s blood was left behind at the scene.

KOVR’s video report about the incident shows police investigating a front-entrance window with a large bullet hole.

However, the suspect did get inside a different residence soon after. The owner of the second home told KRCA the suspect got in because the front door was accidentally left unlocked.

With that, the suspect entered the garage, found keys on a truck’s front seat, and led deputies on a high-speed chase on Highway 99, KCRA reported.

Cuong Nguyen — the owner of the second residence — wasn’t home during the incident but told KCRA the suspect plowed right into his garage door to steal his truck, after which half his garage door was “in the middle of the street” when he returned.

The chase ended after Correa hit spike strips near Arno Road and rolled the truck into a ditch, KCRA reported. The suspect was then taken into custody, KOVR noted.

Correa suffered minor injuries and was being held in Sacramento County jail on a $100,000 bond, KCRA reported, adding that he was expected in court Tuesday to face four felonies.

You can view KCRA’s video report here.

Sheriff’s spokesperson Amar Gandhi said in KOVR’s video report that the suspect is a “lifelong criminal” with a record showing more than 20 years of “theft charges, gun charges, drug charges — you name it, he’s got everything under the sun.”

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