KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – A Sunday evening vehicle pursuit led to a vehicle crash into a power pole, a power outage and road closure, and an ongoing search for the suspect.
The collision occurred shortly before 6 p.m. at Live Oak Drive and Cruickshank Road in Kelseyville, according to the California Highway Patrol.
At approximately 5:49 p.m. CHP Officers Randy Forslund and Steve Curtis were directing traffic at the scene of a single-vehicle rollover on Highway 29 between Highway 175/Cobb and Bottle Rock Road when they observed a gray Mitsubishi SUV heading northbound on Highway 29, the CHP reported.
The SUV’s male driver was holding a meth pipe in his hand. The officers tried to wave the driver over and get him to stop, but the CHP report said he failed to yield to their hand gestures and vocal commands.
Officer Curtis got into his patrol car and attempted to stop the subject, who continued northbound on Highway 29 at approximately 60 miles per hour until just south of Cole Creek Road, the CHP said.
Near Cole Creek Road, the suspect accelerated to approximately 85 miles per hour, with the CHP reporting that a pursuit began at that point.
The SUV driver turned to go west on Cruickshank Road, and while trying to negotiate a right turn to head north on Live Oak Drive, he lost control of the vehicle and hit a power pole, the CHP said.
The CHP said the crash caused the power pole to be sheered off at the base, with the lines knocked to the ground.
The male suspect then fled the area on foot, heading eastbound on Live Oak, into a nearby mobile home park, the CHP reported.
Firefighters returning from the vehicle crash on Highway 29 responded to the scene, where they helped shut down the roadway.
A sheriff’s K9 responded to help with the search, but the CHP said the suspect eluded them. The incident is still under investigation.
Pacific Gas & Electric responded to the scene shortly after 6:30 p.m., with the company reporting that as many as 346 customers were out of power. AT&T also was on hand to deal with resulting phone outages.
County road staff were requested to help with lane closures, according to the CHP.
The CHP said the intersection of Cruickshank and Live Oak Drive will be closed for repairs through the night, with the intersection expected to reopen at 5 a.m. Monday.
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