Redmond transient, already jailed in car theft, charged in 2nd

Redmond police have charged a 25-year-old area transient in last month’s car theft that officers pursued until it crashed and the driver ran, eluding capture. But they didn’t have to go look for him — he already was in the Deschutes County Jail,, arrested in another car theft just 11 days later.

In the early-morning hours of Feb. 12, officers took a report of a stolen 2015 Nissan Altima. Less than an hour later, they spotted the vehicle in the area of Southwest 31 st Street and Obsidian Avenue, Lt. Keith Knight and Sgt. Curtis Chambers said in a joint news release.

They tried to pull the car over, but the driver sped off, triggering a pursuit that conclude onto the Old Bend-Redmond Highway. The vehicle crashed into a power pole near 93 rd Street and Hereford Avenue in Deschutes County, at which point he got out and ran. A Redmond Police K-9 team helped search the area, but couldn’t find him.

However, officers said at the time they had collected evidence at the scene that could help lead to a suspect.

On Feb. 23, officers contacted Joshua Capasso at the Redmond Fred Meyer on a separate investigation regarding another stolen vehicle, the officers said. He was arrested on an outstanding warrant, as well as charges of unauthorized use of a vehicle, first-degree theft and second-degree criminal mischief.

On Tuesday, Knight and Chambers said, officers developed probable cause to arrest Capasso in the earlier car theft, pursuit and crash, thanks to that evidence recovered at the crash scene that belonged to him.

Capasso, already in the jail, now faces another charge of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, as well as felony attempt to elude police, criminal mischief and reckless driving. He remains held without bail on a parole violation.