Antioch man convicted of firearm possession, stealing vehicle, reckless driving
Arrested July 2, 2023, following police chase from Concord to Hercules and back to Bay Point
Has history of arrests dating to 2014
By Ted Asregadoo, PIO, Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office
A jury in Contra Costa County convicted an Antioch man on offenses related to a high-speed chase in a stolen vehicle and illegal firearm possession.
The Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office filed a complaint in Superior Court charging 33-year-old Artis Chavez Crenshaw, Jr. (born 2/28/90), on July 6, 2023. The case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Philip Farmer, and on January 18th, a jury in Pittsburg found Crenshaw guilty on four out of five counts. (See charges)
The offenses with which Crenshaw was charged with started on July 1st, when a victim’s vehicle was stolen in Antioch. On July 2nd, peace officers spotted Crenshaw driving the stolen vehicle in
Concord and attempted to pull him over. A high-speed chase ensued between police and Crenshaw that began on Port Chicago Highway near Highway 4. The pursuit continued onto westbound Highway 4 as Crenshaw accelerated to 115 mph while weaving through traffic. Even after the CHP laid down a spike strip at Sycamore Avenue near Hercules to disable the vehicle,
Crenshaw continued to evade officers by driving with a flattened tire onto eastbound Highway 4. He was eventually involved in a crash at the San Marco Boulevard exit in Bay Point and was taken into custody after the collision. The entire pursuit totaled 23 miles and lasted 16 minutes.
During his arrest, officers found an AR style pistol in the stolen vehicle. (See video)
Artis Chavez Crenshaw, Jr.’s sentencing hearing will be on March 1st at 8:30 am in front of Judge John Cope at the Arnason Justice Center in Pittsburg. Crenshaw faces a maximum of four years and four months in state prison.
According to localcrimenews.com, Crenshaw has a history of arrests dating to 2014 by Antioch PD, Napa County Sheriff’s Department, Petaluma PD, Concord PD and the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Department for crimes including shoplifting, addict and convicted felon in possession of a firearm and other gun and ammunition charges, burglary, grand theft, assault with a deadly weapon likely to cause great bodily harm on a peace officer or fireman, receiving or concealing stolen property, possession of personal identity with intent to defraud, robbery and carrying a switch blade.
According to the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Department, the 6-foot, five-inch, 205 lb. Crenshaw is being held in the Martinez Detention Facility on no bail and his next court appearance is scheduled for March 1, 2024 at 8:30 a.m. in Superior Court in Pittsburg.
Case No. 04-23-01211 | The People of the State of California v. Artis Chavez Crenshaw, Jr.
Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.
