CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A Clearlake woman was arrested Tuesday after she led law enforcement on a high speed chase and crashed into a tree.
Heather Fawn Kimbrough, 25, fled after a Clearlake Police officer tried to contact her passenger, David Edward Row, 30, of Clearlake, while they were in the parking lot of the Lower Lake Tower Mart, according to the Clearlake Police Department.
At 4 p.m. Tuesday Det. Travis Lenz was in the area of Tower Mart when he observed a suspicious vehicle in the gas station parking lot, spotting Row in the front passenger seat. Row was a parolee at large with an active warrant for his arrest out of the California Department of Corrections, police said.
When Lenz attempted to contact Row in the vehicle, Kimbrough, the driver, fled with Row. Police said she attempted to evade officers, traveling through Main Street in Lower Lake reaching speeds in excess of 80 miles per hour.
Kimbrough turned onto Lake Street, passing both Lower Lake High School and Lower Lake Elementary at speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour, according to the police report.
Shortly after passing the schools, Kimbrough lost control of her vehicle, crashing into a tree off the roadway edge of Lake Street, police said.
The pursuing officers removed Kimbrough and Row from the disabled vehicle, which then caught fire. Lake County Fire Protection District arrived on scene and extinguished the fire shortly afterward, Clearlake Police said.
Both Kimbrough and Row were transported to St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake for treatment of minor injuries as a result of the crash, police said. After being medically cleared, they were transported to the Lake County Jail.
Kimbrough was booked into the Lake County Jail on charges of evading with wanton and willful disregard for public safety in a motor vehicle and driving on a suspended license, according to jail records. Row was booked into the Lake County Jail on his parole warrant.
Bail for Kimbrough, whose booking sheet listed her occupation as certified nursing assistant, was set at $35,000. She remained in custody on Wednesday, as did Row, who was being held on a no-bail hold.
Clearlake Police reminded drivers to yield to the right when safely able to do so when emergency vehicles are approaching. This increases public safety as well as the safety of responding emergency units.
Anyone with information regarding this case can contact Det. Lenz at the Clearlake Police Department at 707-994-8251.