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Dispute escalates into wild ride; ends with two arrests
TPD

It's not unheard of for a driver to flee the scene of a collision, but it's rare when it is done right in front of police officers and there's a pedestrian hanging onto the car at the time.

That was the scene Turlock Police officers witnessed Monday afternoon and it resulted in an attempted murder charges for the driver and assault and vandalism charges for the pedestrian.

The incident was described as a neighborhood feud that escalated quickly.

Police officers were initially dispatched to the 800 block of Julian Street just after 4 p.m. Monday for a call of a weapon offense. The caller stated there were two vehicles stopped in the roadway and a man, later identified as Anthony Chaney, was in the street holding a small, black revolver.

"Upon arrival, an officer witnessed one of the vehicles, a black 3 series BMW, driving in and around the male adult pedestrian in an obvious attempt to strike him," said Turlock Police spokesman Sgt. Michael Parmley.

The driver of the BMW, identified as Michael Garcia, 20, managed to turn around and strike Chaney. The impact sent Chaney crashing into the windshield, but he held onto the vehicle as Garcia sped away eastbound on Julian Street.

It didn't take long at all for the officers to locate the vehicle and they conducted a high risk stop in the area of Grant and Chestnut avenues.

Garcia was taken into custody and later booked at the Stanislaus County Jail on a charge of attempted murder.

Chaney was treated at the scene for non-life-threatening injuries by emergency personnel from the Turlock Fire Department and American Medical Response. He refused further treatment at a hospital.

Back on Julian Street, officers had spoken to witnesses and an elderly victim, who all said Chaney assaulted the elderly victim and vandalized a vehicle, Parmley said.

Chaney was booked into Stanislaus County Jail for assault and vandalism.

No gun was ever located.