Redwood Empire Baseball League Players in Healdsburg (CA) Help Police Detain Man Accused of Sexually Abusing 14-year-old Girl
Originally published by The Press Democrat, Santa Rosa, California
A vehicle involved in a police pursuit Wednesday, May 13, 2026, in Healdsburg pictured on the sidewalk after crashing into a street sign near University and Piper streets. Authorities said the driver later ran away before being detained with help from players in a baseball league for men 72 and older. (Healdsburg Police Department / Facebook)
By Isabel Beer | isabel.beer@pressdemocrat.com | isabel.beer@pressdemocrat.com
PUBLISHED: May 14, 2026 at 12:18 PM PDT | UPDATED: May 14, 2026 at 4:50 PM PDT
Players in a baseball league for men 72 and older helped Healdsburg police detain a man investigators said led them on a car chase before they arrested him on suspicion of statutory rape and sexual abuse of a 14-year-old girl, authorities said Wednesday, May 13.
The incident began about 10:35 a.m. Wednesday when the Healdsburg Police Department received a report of a suspicious vehicle occupied by a man and a teenage girl who appeared to be under the influence in front of a home on Powell Avenue, according to a police news release.
The caller later reported the vehicle had left the area with the passenger door open and was heading toward University Street.
An officer located the vehicle near University and Lincoln streets and attempted to speak with the driver. Police said the driver sped away, leading officers on a pursuit along several blocks on University Street.
During the chase, the vehicle struck multiple parked cars before it crashed into a street sign near University and Piper streets, police said. The crash left the vehicle disabled.
Police said the driver got out of the car and then ran toward Recreation Park, where members of the Redwood Empire Baseball League’s 72-and-older teams, the Apples and Reds, were playing a game.
Players and an umpire witnessed the crash and helped officers detain the driver until police took him into custody, according to the release.
Officers later found a 14-year-old girl who appeared to be under the influence of an unknown substance, police said. It was not immediately clear where officers located her.
The girl was taken to a local hospital for evaluation, police said, and her parents were notified.
Police arrested the man they identified as the driver, Jonathan Ortiz Espana, 20, of Windsor.
According to investigators, Ortiz Espana and the girl met Tuesday when he approached her and “catcalled” her while she was walking in town.
Investigators said Ortiz Espana gave the girl alcohol Wednesday and was attempting to have sex with her in a stolen car, leading officers to arrest him on suspicion of several charges, including statutory rape, child endangerment, vehicle theft, evading police, driving under the influence and providing alcohol to a minor.
In California, the age of consent is 18.
“While this was not a stranger abduction, the circumstances remain deeply concerning and involved alleged criminal conduct against a minor, including the furnishing of alcohol,” a statement from the Healdsburg Police Department said. “Incidents like this serve as an important reminder for parents and guardians to have ongoing conversations with teens about personal safety, responsible decision-making, substance use, and the risks associated with interacting with significantly older individuals, including people they may have only recently met.”
Police said the investigation is ongoing.