Media Release

For Immediate Release

Napa Retail Theft Suspects Get Stopped Driving into American Canyon

AMERICAN CANYON, Calif., June 8, 2023, 3:30 PM - On Wednesday afternoon, June 7, 2023, shortly after 4:00 PM, American Canyon Police spotted a vehicle matching the description of just being involved in a grand theft at the Sun Glass Hut in Napa. Officers spotted the silver van occupied by a female driver and male passenger southbound on Highway 29 approaching American Canyon. Officers attempted to stop the vehicle. However, it failed to yield, and a short pursuit ensued southbound on Highway 29 into the city. Officers quickly deployed a spike strip that deflated two of the suspect’s vehicle’s tires. The vehicle continued to evade officers, but with two flat tires, its speed slowed significantly. Following, a (PIT) Pursuit Intervention Technique, a tactical driving technique used by law enforcement officers to stop fleeing vehicles during a pursuit, was performed by ACPD. This disabled the van causing it to stop on the side of the highway. Officers then safely detained the female driver, identified as Desirea Washington of Oakland, CA, and the male Kevin Murphy also of Oakland, who had been hiding in the back seat of the van. Stolen merchandise from the grand theft was recovered in their van. Murphy was also in possession of burglary tools. No injuries occurred during the incident, and both subjects were booked into the Napa County Department of Corrections for charges related to this event.