Early morning high-speed/low-speed chase passes through county

By Larry Judkins

Glenn County Observer

An early Sunday morning pursuit that started out at well over 100 miles per hour slowed to a crawl after it reached Glenn County, then sped back up to about 50 miles an hour as it approached Butte County.

The driver’s slowing likely had something to do with a flat tire. A certain reporter who lives on Walker Street (Highway 32) in Orland was awakened by the police scanner chatter concerning the pursuit, then stepped out his front door when he heard the chase had gotten off the southbound Interstate 5 and had headed east on 32.

The reporter witnessed a silver car pass his home, followed closely by about a half-dozen law enforcement vehicles – all with lights flashing and sirens blaring ‑ from at least three agencies (California Highway Patrol, Glenn County Sheriff’s Office, and Orland Police Department). As the lead car went by, it was obvious from the noise it was making that at least one of its tires was almost flat.

At some point between Orland and the pumpkin patch (Country Pumpkins), the vehicle gradually slowed down and almost came to a stop. Then, the driver apparently had second thoughts and began accelerating again, but, probably because of his tire problem, never went much over 50 miles per hour.

After passing Country Pumpkins, the dispatcher told deputies the vehicle was a “10851 [stolen] out of Eureka.”

As the pursuit continued eastbound on Highway 32 toward Hamilton City, a sheriff’s deputy told the Glenn County dispatcher that the driver was “all over the roadway.” The driver and officers passed through Hamilton City at about 2:11 a.m.

A Glenn County Sheriff’s sergeant stated that he would be pulling his people out of the pursuit if it continued into Butte County. He asked the dispatcher to make sure that Butte County law enforcement was aware of this so that they would be ready to take over.

The chase did indeed continue into Butte County, and into Chico. At Meridian Road, at about 2:17 a.m., Glenn County Sheriff’s units pulled out of the pursuit and headed back to Glenn County, arriving there at about 2:21 a.m.

According to Joetta Ferguson’s comprehensive posting on the Redding Crime and Community Alert/Shasta County Facebook page, the chase began in Redding on East Cypress when the driver failed to yield to Redding police officers for a 10851 violation (vehicle theft). The driver and pursuing officers turned onto southbound Interstate 5, traveling at speeds ranging from 80 to 115 miles per hour.

They entered Tehama County at about 1:38 a.m., reaching speeds of up to 125 miles per hour. Fortunately, traffic was light at this early morning hour.

At about 1:41 a.m., the CHP took over the pursuit at Antelope Blvd. in Red Bluff. At some point, the CHP helicopter also became involved in the incident.

The driver began to yield in Chico at about 2:23 a.m. However, the suspect failed to comply with law enforcement’s commands made over their public address systems.

The suspect reportedly told the CHP in a cell phone call that he had a knife but had thrown it on the floorboard. Law enforcement officers removed the suspect from the vehicle at 2:29 a.m. and detained him a minute later.

Ferguson reported that at some point during the next 40 minutes or so, law enforcement agencies discussed who would handle this incident, since it took place in “3 counties” (actually, it was four: Shasta, Tehama, Glenn, and Butte) and the theft of the vehicle took place in a “fourth” county (actually, a fifth: Humboldt County).

Ferguson commented in her post, “It sounds like the Redding Police Department will manage it with Butte County adding their 148 (resisting arrest) charges into the case.”

According to Josey Bones and several other commentators on the Butte County Fires, Accidents, Crimes Facebook page, the pursuit came to an end on Nord Avenue, not far from West Sacramento Avenue. A couple of postings mentioned the CHP helicopter “hovering” and “spotlighting” the area.

Numerous posts referred to two very loud bangs – loud enough to set off car alarms – that were heard while law enforcement was taking the suspect into custody. Some thought that they were gunshots, but law enforcement reportedly said on their radios that they were fireworks, and one person remarked that someone in the area has a fireworks mortar, and fireworks in the area are a regular event.

This report will be updated when more information, such as the name of the suspect, is acquired.