Hanford, CA – A Kings County man was arrested Tuesday morning following a high-speed pursuit that ended in an almond orchard south of Highway 198, according to the Kings County Sheriff’s Office.
The incident began around 9:26 a.m. on September 23, 2025, when Rural Crimes Investigators responded to a reported theft in progress on the 13400 block of 10th Avenue. Deputies said a suspect, later identified as Richard Saiz, ran to a black Ford F-150 and attempted to flee.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, the driver failed to yield, leading to a pursuit involving Rural Crimes Investigators, patrol deputies, and the Sheriff’s Air Unit. The truck allegedly sped through stop signs and drove off-road several times before becoming disabled near 7th Avenue.
Deputies said Saiz fled on foot into an orchard before allegedly tossing a shotgun near a residence. A K-9 deputy assisted in taking him into custody. Investigators later recovered a Winchester 12-gauge shotgun with an altered serial number, making ownership difficult to trace.
Saiz was booked into Kings County Jail on multiple charges, including evading law enforcement, carrying a loaded firearm in public, altering a firearm serial number, driving without a license, and committing a new offense while out on bail. His bail was set at $85,000.
The investigation is ongoing, and deputies said the firearm will undergo further testing to confirm if it was connected to other crimes.
