KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – A Tuesday morning high speed pursuit through a residential area has resulted in the arrest of a Kelseyville man.
Mark Ewing Shields, 24, was arrested following the chase, according to Lt. Steve Brooks of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.
On Tuesday at 11:45 a.m. deputies responded to the area of Chippewa Trail in Kelseyville for a complaint of people riding dirt bikes on the street in a residential area, Brooks said. Central Dispatch advised that one of the motorcycles was reported to be black and the other red in color.
When one of the responding deputies reached the intersection of Point Lakeview Drive and Soda Bay Road, he observed a red dirt bike traveling southbound on Soda Bay Road towards him, according to Brooks.
The driver, later identified as Shields, turned onto Point Lakeview Drive. Brooks said the deputy immediately activated his emergency lights and siren, as he turned to get behind the motorcycle.
Shields turned around to look at the deputy and then rapidly accelerated, trying to get away, Brooks said.
Shields continued to flee at speeds over 70 miles per hour in a 40 mile per hour zone. Brooks said the deputy pursued Shields until he drove around a fence in the 8000 block of Soda Bay Road, where the deputy was unable to follow in his patrol car.
Brooks said Shields was located a few minutes later at a residence, which was approximately 150 yards from where he went around the fence.
Shields told the deputy he fled because he thought he had an arrest warrant. He explained that he was arrested earlier in the month for driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, Brooks reported.
The deputy arrested Shields for evading a peace officer with willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property, Brooks said.
Shields was transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked. He remained in custody on Wednesday evening, with bail set at $35,000.