5/1/25 Hanford, CA – Police Clearing Out A Homeless Encampment Mission – Homeless Man Jumps Into A Running Marked Police Truck – Police Chase – Crashed Into Two Civilian Vehicles – Fled On Foot – Captured And Arrested

A homeless man led police on a high-speed chase in one of their own patrol vehicles.

It happened on Wednesday when the Hanford Police Homeless Assistance Resource Team (HART) was clearing a homeless encampment near Aquifer Drive and the San Joaquin Valley Railroad tracks, just west of Walmart.

The multi-agency cleanup was just wrapping up when officers encountered a homeless man, later identified as 47-year-old Jacob Murray.

Murray was told to leave the area, but as he was going, he jumped into an unlocked and running patrol truck while officers were distracted, leading them on a chase.

The pursuit involved Hanford police officers, Kings County Sheriff’s Office deputies, and a sheriff’s helicopter, as Murray reached speeds exceeding 100 mph on county roads.

The chase ended when Murray crashed into two vehicles at the intersection of Cherry Street and Tulare Avenue in Tulare.

Murray tried to run from the crash on foot but was quickly taken into custody.

He was treated for minor injuries at a local hospital before being booked into the Kings County Jail.

He faces several felony charges, including vehicle theft, felony evading, obstructing an officer, and a bench warrant.