A multi-city, two-county crime spree ended in tragedy this morning when 19-year-old twin brothers crashed a stolen truck into a car, killing a man and a girl.
Ruslan and Roman Glukhoy, of Antelope, will be charged with two counts of homicide – and other charges – following the pursuit that began at around 5 a.m. in Auburn and ended in Antelope.
At 5:10 a.m., Auburn police officers were checking a suspicious vehicle, related to a series of burglaries in the area, with three male suspects inside. As the officers attempted to make contact, the vehicle with the three suspects drove directly at the officers, committing an assault with a deadly weapon. The officers were able to get out of the way, and a pursuit started and eventually entered westbound I-80. The suspects exited at Horseshoe Bar Road in Loomis, but crashed at the end of the off-ramp. They all three ran into a neighborhood nearby.
It’s not yet known how many suspects entered an occupied home on Becky Way and stole the keys to a Ford F150 truck. The occupants of the home didn’t see the suspects until they saw them drive away in their truck. Two of the male suspects then drove the stolen Ford F150 back onto I-80 and the pursuit began again. The third suspect, Yuriy Merkushev, 21, was later arrested after hiding in Loomis.
The pursuit continued back on westbound I-80, with the suspects driving erratically and at speeds in excess of 100 mph. They exited at Antelope Road and drove at such high speeds that deputies lost sight of them for a time. As the suspects approached Antelope North Road, they struck a sedan that turned left in front of them. The car was occupied by an adult male and a juvenile female, who both died instantly. Their identities will not be released until next-of-kin are notified.
Deputies chased the two suspects, who jumped fences and ran through backyards of homes. Roman Glukhoy was apprehended right away, and a Placer County Sheriff’s deputy sustained a broken hand while making the arrest. Ruslan Glukhoy was caught a short time later, hiding in a nearby backyard. He was taken into custody after being subdued by a Sacramento County K-9.
[This is a direct repost from Placer County Sheriff’s press release]
Roman Glukhoy will be booked at the Placer County Jail after completing an interview. Ruslan Glukhoy was admitted to Mercy San Juan Hospital in Carmichael. Mug shots will be released after they are booked