Suspect Swallows Stolen Ring, Needs Surgery To Remove It

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WALNUT CREEK, Calif. (AP) -- Authorities say a man charged with burglary needed surgery to remove a stolen ring that he reportedly swallowed while fleeing police.

CBS San Francisco reports Wednesday that the chase ended when the man, later identified as 36-year-old Joel Steffensen of Martinez, California, crashed his car into a BART fence last Thursday.

Walnut Creek police spokesman Lt. Lanny Edwards says a hospital X-ray later showed that he had a ring lodged in his esophagus. Doctors surgically removed the ring. The resident of the home that was burglarized later identified the gold wedding band.

Joel Steffensen's booking photo. (Credit: Walnut Creek Police)

Steffensen was charged by the Contra Costa District Attorney's Office with felony burglary, felony evasion of police officers and felony resisting arrest after his attempt to elude officers responding the burglary. It was not immediately known if Steffensen has an attorney.