Manuel Montana Herrera stole red light camera in Marysville

A TEENAGER who crashed into a red light camera pole, knocking it down, drove away with the potentially incriminating evidence.

Manuel Montana Herrera, 19, lost control of his blue Toyota truck in Marysville, Califoia and hit the red light camera pole, knocking it over and into the back of his truck.

Marysville Police Department’s Administrative Sergeant Chris Sachs told KXTV that Herrera then sped away from the crash site.

A witness took a photograph of Herrera adjusting the camera in the back of his truck more than three kilometres from the crash site and contacted police after Herrera drove off.

Police, who credit the witness for the eventual arrest, found Herrera at a friend’s house trying to get the camera out the back of his truck.

He has been charged with for a hit and run traffic collision and grand theft and booked into Yuba County Jail.

Police said the red-light camera has been recovered and the damage will cost the city at least $2000 dollars.