Sisters arrested after standoff by North Berkeley BART

A road rage report, with a possible armed motorist, drew a large police response outside North Berkeley BART station Wednesday night.

The incident closed parts of Sacramento Street at Virginia Street and drew more than a dozen police cruisers, lights flashing, for nearly an hour.

Berkeley police fired less-lethal rounds at a vehicle to help resolve the situation when a driver refused to get out of her car.

The incident began with a 911 call at about 8 p.m.

A motorist told police a woman had brandished a gun at her and her child when they were driving at Fourth and Gilman streets, police said.

An officer spotted the suspects at Gilman and San Pablo Avenue, and tried to pull them over at Rose and Sacramento streets, BPD said.

Instead of stopping, the driver would begin to pull over, then keep going, police said.

The driver ultimately stopped on Sacramento Street next to the North Berkeley BART station as officers used their vehicles to surround her.

Local residents at the scene told The Scanner they had seen police behind the car in what looked like a low-speed pursuit on Sacramento.

The Scanner arrived as police were repeatedly ordering the driver out of her car while she shouted and refused, her pit bulls barking from the backseat.

Eventually, police told the driver and her passenger they would fire less-lethal rounds at their vehicle if they did not step out.

When they failed to comply, an officer shot the rounds, striking the outside of the car. Both occupants surrendered moments later.

BPD identified the driver as 33-year-old Kejare James and her passenger as 32-year-old Eunique James, her sister.

The dogs in the car were taken to the Berkeley animal shelter.

Both women — who said they stay in Berkeley but have no permanent address — were arrested on suspicion of felony child abuse, in relation to the young passenger in the other car, and misdemeanor obstruction.

Kejare James was also arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor evasion. She is being held on $110,000 bail, according to jail records.

Eunique James was also arrested on suspicion of exhibiting a weapon and failing to obey police orders. She is being held on $115,000 bail.

At the scene, one of the women denied brandishing a weapon before officers led her away.

Officers confiscated at least one item from their vehicle as evidence. Further details were not immediately available.

This story was updated after publication when additional information became available.