Orland area men busted after brief high speed chase

By Larry Judkins

Glenn County Observer

Three men from the Orland area were arrested on a variety of charges following a short but speedy pursuit up Interstate 5 Thursday morning.

It all began about 7:10 a.m. on May 20. Glenn County Sheriff’s deputies attempted to stop a vehicle for CVC violations on County Road 27 at Interstate 5.

The vehicle failed to yield to the deputies and entered northbound Interstate 5. The chase did not last very long, but it reached speeds of more than 100 miles per hour.

Shortly after entering the freeway at Road 27, an occupant of the vehicle being pursued was seen throwing a handgun out a window. About seven minutes after the chase began, law enforcement officers begin searching for the weapon, and about two minutes after that, they find it along the east side of I-5, just north of the on-ramp.

About 12 minutes later, a sheriff’s detective asks the dispatcher to run the serial number of the firearm. It is a Beretta model 84F, serial #E52205Y.

The dispatcher later tells him that the firearm “comes back clear, [and it is] registered to a Sergio Gomez of [1828 Blowers Drive,] Woodland.” This seems to be the same person to whom the vehicle was registered as the owner.

When the vehicle reached Highway 32, it exited the freeway and ran the stop sign at the north end of the off-ramp. It turned right on Newville Road (Highway 32), then right again on Eighth Street.

Shortly after turning onto Eighth Street, it ran another stop sign. Near Eighth and Walker Streets (not Newville Road, but the residential street south of there), it collided with a chain link fence, and the three occupants fled on foot.

Two of them were apparently quickly caught in an alley off Swift Street, north of Newville Road, heading east toward Sixth Street (Highway 99). The third, the driver, was described as a “Hispanic male adult with tattoos on his face.”

Almost five minutes after the chase began at County Road 27, a law enforcement officer, apparently an Orland police officer, said, “We’ve got one running eastbound on Colusa [Street].” Less than a minute later, the officer announced, “One at gunpoint at AutoZone.”

The driver was identified as Damien Cruz Alvarez, 20, a dairy worker who lives at 1441 Pine Street, Orland. The other two were identified as Alex Parra Miranda, 27, a construction worker who lives at 6379 County Road 16, sp. #42, Orland, and Jacob Jonathan Doughtie, 19, a laborer who lives at 5689 County Road 200, Orland.

The dispatcher was asked to call a tow truck for the vehicle the three had been in. The dispatcher was told the vehicle was on “Eighth Street, just south of Walker” … “right in front of 728 Eighth Street”.

One or more of the three were taken to Glenn Medical Center for medical clearance. The jail records all three as being booked at 7:25 a.m.

Damien Alvarez was booked into the Glenn County Jail on felonies alleging evading a peace officer with wanton disregard for safety, possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of ammunition by a prohibited person, possession of a controlled substance while armed with a loaded firearm, possession of a narcotic controlled substance, and criminal conspiracy, and misdemeanors alleging carrying a loaded firearm on one’s person or in a vehicle, hit and run, and possession of a controlled substance. His bail was set at $80,000.

Alex Parra Miranda was booked into the Glenn County Jail on felonies alleging criminal conspiracy, possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of ammunition by a prohibited person, possession of a controlled substance while armed with a loaded firearm, possession of a narcotic controlled substance, committing a felony while released on bail, and violation of post-release community supervision, and a misdemeanor alleging carrying a loaded firearm on one’s person or in a vehicle. His bail was set at $95,000, although the violation of PRCS charge is usually a no-bail charge.

And Jacob Doughtie was booked into the Glenn County Jail on charges alleging criminal conspiracy, possession of a narcotic controlled substance, possession of ammunition by a prohibited person, and possession of a controlled substance while armed with a loaded firearm (all felonies). His bail was set at $60,000.

According to the Glenn County Jail, all three were taken into custody at Ninth and Swift Streets, Orland.

If Damien Alvarez and Alex Parra Miranda look or seem familiar to you, Glenn County Observer readers, it may be because, in early March, before the Observer website even existed and we were publishing only on Facebook, we ran the following story:

Orland men arrested on gun, drug charges

Glenn County Observer

Orland ¬ Two Orland men were arrested Thursday afternoon, March 4, on a variety of charges, including gun and drug violations.

At about 2:18 p.m., Glenn County Sheriff’s deputies contacted Damien Cruz Alvarez, 20, and Alex Parra Miranda, 27, both of Orland, as they were exiting a white GMC Yukon on Yolo Street, west of East Street, in Orland.

Alvarez was seen driving the GMC and Miranda was observed in the front passenger seat.

Miranda was reportedly found to be on parole out of Colusa County and Alvarez was allegedly found to not have a valid California driver’s license.

The Orland Police Department’s K-9, Dutch, searched the vehicle and had a positive alert on it. A search of the Yukon by the deputies was conducted and a gray Smith & Wesson .38 caliber revolver was reportedly found in the vehicle.

Miranda and Alvarez were both subsequently placed under arrest. Alvarez was reportedly found to be in possession of cocaine and a small baggie containing prescription medications.

The pair was transported and to the Glenn County Jail.

Alvarez, of 1441 Pine Street, Orland, was booked into the jail on charges alleging possession of a controlled substance while armed with a loaded firearm (a felony), possession of a narcotic controlled substance (a misdemeanor), possession of controlled substances without a prescription (a misdemeanor), carrying a loaded firearm in public (a felony), possession of a firearm by a felon (a felony), driving without a license (an infraction), possession of a stolen firearm by a felon (a felony), possession of stolen property (a felony), and possession of ammunition by a prohibited person (a felony). His bail was set at $110,000.

Miranda, of 6379 County Road 16, space #42, was booked into the jail on charges alleging carrying a loaded firearm in public, possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of a stolen firearm by a felon, possession of stolen property, and possession of ammunition by a prohibited person (all felonies). Bail on the preceding charges was set at $90,000, but he was also held without bail for alleged violation of parole (a felony).

In July of 2020, Miranda was convicted in Glenn County Superior Court of possession of a firearm by a felon (a felony), possession of a short-barreled shotgun (a felony), and three misdemeanors for which he was found in violation of probation.

He was sentenced to two years in state prison and probation was terminated.

Also, on Friday, May 7, Alex Parra Miranda was booked into the Glenn County Jail on a court remand with charges alleging possession of a firearm by a felon (a felony), possession of ammunition by a prohibited person (a felony), carrying a loaded firearm in public (a felony), possession of a concealed firearm in a vehicle (a felony), possession of stolen property valued at $400 or less (a misdemeanor), possession of a narcotic controlled substance (a misdemeanor), possession of controlled substances without a prescription (a misdemeanor), driving without a license (a misdemeanor), and special allegations (a felony).

His bail two weeks ago was set at $40,000.