Crime & Safety
Santa Cruz Gang Task Force Arrests Eight Bikers at Highway 1 and Mission
Traffic backed up and drivers stared as the bikers held their hands up for police officers with guns drawn.
The Santa Cruz County Gang Task Force arrested eight out-of-county bikers Saturday at 5 p.m. charging them with reckless evading of a police officer, possession of loaded firearms, possession of a narcotic, possession of a deadly weapon and an out-of-state warrant.
Police stopped them before the intersection of Highway 1 and Mission, northbound.
Arrested were: Chuck Vankirk, 32, San Leandro, for reckless evading; Michael Gamboa, 34, Pittsburg, for recless evading, possession of a loaded firearm, possession of a dangerous weapon, gang crimes; Raymond Simms, 29, Manteca, for possession of a narcotic without prescription and gang crime; Matthew Hammore, Fremont, for reckless evading and an out-of-county warrant; Chad Thomas, 28, for reckless evading; Thomas Shaw, 28, of Concord, for reckless evading; and Alan Moffett, Discovery Bay for an unspecified charge.
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The information was released by gang task force commander Mario Sulay.
Santa Cruz has been a focus of biker gang violence since last year when a fight broke out over territory at the downtown Starbucks between the Hells Angels and the Vagos.
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