13-year-old steals car, causes fatal crash in Elk Grove, police say

ELK GROVE — A 13-year-old was arrested after Elk Grove police said he stole a vehicle and crashed into another vehicle during a pursuit Monday.

The accident occurred at the intersection of Laguna and Franklin boulevards shortly after 9 p.m. Both vehicles suffered significant damage, with one of them overturning on its roof.

Officers first attempted to stop the stolen vehicle near Elk Grove Boulevard and Highway 99. The driver, later identified as the young teen, did not yield.

Elk Grove police Sergeant Jason Jiminez said the teen led a chase on westbound Laguna Boulevard, driving through neighborhoods before crashing in Franklin. Umipeg was turning northbound onto Franklin Boulevard from eastbound Laguna when he was hit.

Sgt. Jiminez could not say how fast the chase was and that it is all part of the ongoing traffic investigation.

Between supervisors and police pursuing a car, they consider the risk to the community and whether to move on to other tactics to catch a suspect in a chase.

“It’s an unfortunate and tragic incident, and someone lost a loved one and it’s not lost on us,” said Sgt. Jiminez said. “Ultimately, we want our community and our family to know that when we pursue someone. There are risks and ultimately we are constantly evaluating those risks and determining whether or not we should proceed.”

Elk Grove police said the teen and the other driver were both hospitalized. The teen's injuries were minor, but those of the other driver were life-threatening.

On Tuesday, Elk Grove police said the other driver, a 55-year-old man, died from his injuries. Relatives and the coroner's office identified the victim as Gregg Umipeg.

“It was unnecessary, really unnecessary, and now my son is without a father,” said Brandee Codina, the mother of the victim's son.

Umipeg's loved ones told CBS13 that her 13-year-old son Branden was her world.

“I just want justice,” Codina said. “I want to know what happened. I want to know if all the protocols were followed.”

The suspect has since been held in juvenile hall. Police said they were not ruling out whether drugs or alcohol were factors in the 13-year-old's case. It is still unclear whether additional fees will be charged to the child's parents.

“Where are the consequences for the child and all the damage he caused to all of our families, and how can we prevent this from happening again to someone else?” » said Tammy Lattion, Umipeg's sister.