Redding Police say a man from Chester stole a car and fled to the hills with police in pursuit, and he had a couple of passengers with him. Shortly before 5 O’clock Monday afternoon, a woman shopping at Food Maxx left her Nissan Maxima with the motor running so that her two Pit Bulls would be in safe air conditioned comfort. The two friendly companions were apparently not guard dogs because they did nothing to prevent 29-year-old Nicholas Baragno as he reportedly got into the driver’s seat and drove away. Nearly an hour later the car was spotted on Highway 44 near Stillwater and the CHP chased the car to the east with RPD Officers following. After turning off Highway 44 onto Inwood Road, the thief turned onto a private dead end road and turned around before flipping the car onto its side. Baragno was taken into custody, and a stolen handgun was found on the floorboard. One of the dogs suffered a minor cut to its foot, but they were otherwise unharmed.