Petaluma chase leads to parole violation arrest

<p>Petaluma police arrested a convicted auto thief Saturday night after he allegedly led police on a pursuit in another stolen vehicle.</p><!-- Nothing to do. The paragraph has already been output --><p>Joel Joseph Silva, 31, of Petaluma drove off when an officer tried to stop him on Lakeville Highway near Frates Road about 5 p.m. for an unnamed traffic violation, police said.</p><p>The 1973 gray GMC pick-up he was driving was stolen, Sgt. Marty Frye said.</p><p>Police chased Silva for about two miles until he crashed trying to make a U-turn near St. Francis Drive and South McDowell Boulevard. Silva then got out and ran away, police said.</p><p>Sonoma County sheriff’s deputies, the county helicopter and CHP officers assisted in searching yards in a residential neighborhood with the assistance of a Petaluma police search dog.</p><p>Silva was found in a residence in the 1300 block of St. Anthony Lane.</p><p>He was booked into Sonoma County Jail on suspicion of vehicle theft, possession of stolen property, evading a peace officer, resisting arrest and a violation of parole. He was out on parole for a prior vehicle theft conviction, Frye said.</p><p>Silva was being held without bail because of the alleged parole violation.</p>