A man takes a CHP cruiser for a joyride in Sanger without the officer's permission.

The cop car thief didn't get far with the patrol car.

Less than a mile from where police say he stole it, the driver crashed into a fence.

He then led officers on a manhunt in a Sanger vineyard.

"All the weapons we had in our vehicle are accounted for. Just appears at this point to be a crime of opportunity," said Sgt. Ron Dechamplain with the CHP.

It all started when a minivan crashed near Channel and Annadale in Sanger.

As a CHP officer pulled up to the scene, investigators say two men involved in the crash came charging at him at which point, the officer hurriedly got out of his car, pulled out his taser, and order the men to get on the ground.

One did, the other did not.

"Unfortunately the patrol vehicle wasn't placed in park, we're thinking it was left in neutral. It proceeded to roll and the suspect sees an opportunity, jumps into the patrol vehicle, and takes off," said Sgt. Dechamplain.

The CHP identified the patrol car thief as Jimmy Oliver of Sanger.

If caught, Oliver could face a felony charge for stealing an emergency vehicle.

CHP says Oliver does not have a criminal history.