OAKLAND, CA – Police made a shocking discovery of a live grenade after a high-speed chase involving a stolen car ended in Berkeley. The incident, which led to neighborhood evacuations and the deployment of a bomb squad, occurred Friday afternoon when California Highway Patrol officers spotted a stolen vehicle.
The pursuit began around 3:30 p.m. when officers noticed the stolen car near 38th Street and Cerrito Avenue in Oakland. The driver, identified as 28-year-old Carlos Kuceja, refused to stop and led police on a chase into Berkeley.
As Kuceja neared the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Way and Rose Street, he allegedly threw a bag out the window. An officer who was not directly involved in the pursuit retrieved the bag and discovered the grenade inside, reportedly with the safety pin partially removed.
Authorities alerted the bomb squad from the University of California, Berkeley. The team confirmed that the grenade was live and posed a potential threat.
Meanwhile, Kuceja had abandoned his car and attempted to flee on foot. Police apprehended him shortly afterward.
In response to the potential danger, law enforcement evacuated nearby residents and conducted a thorough search of Kuceja’s vehicle. No additional explosives were found, allowing residents to return to their homes soon after the area was deemed safe.
A search of Kuceja’s Berkeley residence also resulted in the evacuation of surrounding homes, but it yielded no further evidence of weapons or explosives.
Kuceja faces multiple felony charges, including the possession of a destructive device, evading police, and vehicle theft. As of Monday, he remains incarcerated in the Alameda County Jail, with a set bail of $490,000. He is due to face court proceedings on Tuesday.