Fairfax County police have arrested the man they believe stole one of their own police vehicles, last week in Fair Oaks – and crashed it shortly afterward into two other police vehicles. He is Eric Gutierrez, 30, of Ashland, Va.

On Friday, June 21, around 11:35 a.m., officers from the Fair Oaks District Station were alerted to the site of a stolen 2010 Toyota Corolla outside Fair Oaks Mall. An officer found the vehicle parked at the mall with three adults inside.

Police say the driver, Kenton Smith, 46, of no fixed address, attempted to walk away from the stolen vehicle when the officer arrived. But when the officer tried to stop Smith, say police, Gutierrez left the vehicle, got inside the officer’s unmarked police cruiser and allegedly drove off with it.

According to police, Gutierrez reportedly failed to stop for officers, and a short pursuit ensued. It ended abruptly when Gutierrez crashed that vehicle into two police cruisers on Federalist Way, near Government Center Parkway. As a result, he and two officers sustained non-life-threatening injuries and received treatment for them.

Detectives from the Police Department’s Auto Crimes Enforcement Unit took Gutierrez into custody. He was transported to the Adult Detention Center and charged with two counts of grand larceny-auto theft, grand larceny and felony speeding to elude. Gutierrez was also served with two outstanding warrants and held without bond. 

As for the other two people initially found inside the original stolen vehicle at the mall, Smith was charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle and grand larceny and held in jail on $4,000 bond. The other passenger, a woman named Natrua Mayfield-Jackson, 28, of Maryland, was also served with two outstanding warrants at the jail and held without bond.

During a press conference after that morning’s crash and arrests, police spokesman Sgt. Jacob Pearce said, “All suspects were quickly apprehended within minutes of the start of the incident. Officers located inside the stolen vehicle suspected stolen merchandise and suspected narcotics. All three suspects are from out of this jurisdiction and [allegedly] came here to Fairfax County to commit crimes.”

Pearce said he believed the stolen vehicle was taken from Maryland. He didn’t know from which stores the merchandise had been stolen. Meanwhile, detectives would like to speak to anyone who may have information about this case. Those with information are asked to call the non-emergency number, 703-691-2131.