By Larry Judkins
Glenn County Observer
No stranger to the law in either Butte or Glenn Counties, Sunny Sayyaphom of Willows was arrested in Chico early Friday morning on a number of felonies.
At about 2 a.m. on July 9, Chico police officers became involved in a high speed pursuit of a stolen 2014 Toyota Camry. The chase began at Main and East Fourth Streets and reached speeds of up to 90 miles per hour.
Police canceled the pursuit for safety reasons but the driver continued speeding to West Second and Walnut Streets. There, he crashed the car into two businesses, Creative Nails (a nail salon, obviously) and All About Tech (an iPhone and Tablet repair shop), both located in a strip mall at 206 Walnut Street.
The driver, soon to be identified as Sunny Sayyaphom of Willows, was not injured. He was arrested and booked into the Butte County Jail on charges alleging vehicle theft, vandalism resulting in damages of $400 or more, and evading a peace officer with wanton disregard for safety.
Less than a month earlier, on Friday, June 11, Sayyaphom was arrested and booked into the Butte County Jail without bail on charges alleging violation of parole. And, over the years, Sayyaphom has had a number of encounters with law enforcement officers in Glenn County.
To mention just a few relatively recent incidents, on March 15, 2019, Deputy Turner contacted Sunny Sayyaphom at the ampm gas station in Willows. The deputy knew Sayyaphom from prior contacts and contacted his CDCR parole agent, Agent Carroll. Parole Agent Carroll requested Sayyaphom be placed under arrest for a parole violation. Sayyaphom was arrested and transported to the Glenn County Jail, where he was booked on a parole hold.
On June 4, 2019, Deputy Turner observed Sayyaphom walking south on North Villa Avenue from West Wood Street. Deputy Turner had prior knowledge Sayyaphom had a felony parole warrant for his arrest. Deputy Turner confirmed the no-bail felony warrant and contacted Sayyaphom near Glenn Medical Center and placed him under arrest. Deputy Turner found methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia in Sayyaphom`s property. Sayyaphom was booked on misdemeanor drug charges and a felony parole hold.
On Dec. 2, 2019, Deputy Johnsen was driving north on North Humboldt Avenue, Willows, and observed a silver GMC Envoy without a functioning license plate lamp. The driver was identified as Sunny Sayyaphom and the passenger as Mysty Stephens. Sayyaphom had never been issued a driver’s license and was cited and the vehicle was impounded.
On Jan. 26, 2020, Steven Walton, 43, reported his son’s vehicle was stolen from the Cedar Hills apartment complex the night prior. Deputy Sheldon responded and contacted Walton and his son, 16. After an investigation, it was learned the son lent the vehicle to Sunny Sayyaphom the night prior and he never returned the vehicle. The vehicle was later located abandoned in the city of Willows. About $1,300 of stereo equipment was stolen from the vehicle.
January 30, 2020, Angie Norton reported seeing Sunny Sayyaphom, 28, at the Sycamore and Butte Street bus stop in Willows. Sayyaphom was found to have a parolee at large warrant for his arrest. Deputies Ayres and Lemmon detained Sayyaphom until the warrant was confirmed by CDCR. Once confirmed, Sayyaphom was arrested. Sayyaphom turned over a Chevrolet car key and miscellaneous keys on a key ring that he found nearby. These were later booked into evidence as found property. Sayyaphom was transported and booked into the Glenn County Jail.
On Feb. 8, 2021, Deputy Thompson was dispatched to a report of two counterfeit $20 bills at Dollar Tree in Willows. The deputy responded to the business and contacted the manager, Mollisa Dominguez, who reported Sunny Sayyaphom had attempted to purchase goods from the store the night prior. When told the notes were fake, Sayyaphom told employees he had received the notes from a friend and did not know they were counterfeit. The business did not suffer a loss as a result of this incident. The counterfeit notes were later booked into evidence to be forwarded to Secret Services.
Sayyaphom has also been found guilty of crimes in the Glenn County Superior Court on more than one occasion. In late December, 2018, or early January, 2019, in the case of People vs. Sunny Sayyaphom, he was convicted of felony automobile theft and found in violation of parole for the fourth time.
He was sentenced to 135 days in jail and parole was reinstated. This case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Michael Coffey.
And in July of 2019, in another People vs. Sunny Sayyaphom case, he was convicted of misdemeanor possession of a methamphetamine pipe and admitted to a violation of parole and probation. Sayyaphom was sentenced to 135 days in jail and three years probation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Ruby Neumann with, assistance from Glenn County Sheriff’s Deputies Turner and Branson.
It will be interesting to see what happens to Sunny Sayyaphom next.
The Glenn County Observer 