CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A police dog helped apprehend a Clearlake man last weekend following a vehicle and foot chase.
Jesse James Vezeau, 24, was arrested at the end of the pursuit with the help of Clearlake Police's K9 “Dex,” according to Lt. Tim Celli.
At midnight on Saturday, June 15, Clearlake Police Officer Alan Collier was conducting extra traffic patrol, watching the intersection and stop sign at Acacia Street and Arrowhead Road, Celli said.
Officer Collier saw a black Acura Integra traveling west on Arrowhead Drive. Celli said the vehicle traveled through the stop sign without stopping and Collier attempted to make a traffic stop on the vehicle for the violation of running the stop sign.
When Collier attempted to stop the vehicle, the Acura immediately sped up in an obvious attempt to evade the officer, Celli said.
Celli said the suspect driver, later identified as Vezeau, drove with disregard for public safety while leading the officer on a 2.4-mile pursuit through residential areas.
Vezeau was traveling in excess of 65 miles per hour in opposite lanes of traffic, fishtailing around turns and failing to stop for stop signs while traveling at excessive rates of speed, Celli said.
Vezeau’s vehicle apparently suffered damage due to his reckless driving, finally becoming disabled in the 13200 block of Lakeshore Drive, according to Celli.
He said Vezeau ran from the vehicle and Collier pursued him on foot. Vezeau attempted to jump an approximate 5-foot-tall rock wall, at which point Collier caught up with Vezeau and grabbed on to his feet.
Celli said Vezeau began to kick at the officer in an effort to get free. Collier was able to pull Vezeau off the fence to the ground, where he continued to resist the uniformed officer.
Vezeau failed to comply with numerous commands to stop fighting with the officer and continued to violently struggle with Collier, Celli said.
Officer Michael Carpenter and his K9 partner Dex arrived on scene to assist Collier, Celli said. Due to Vezeau’s violent resistance toward officers, the fact he led officers on a 2high speed pursuit with disregard for public safety and it was unknown if the suspect had any weapons on him and his failure to obey commands to stop resisting, Dex was deployed to assist with the apprehension of the suspect.
Celli said Dex bit Vezeau in the upper torso, at which time Vezeau stopped resisting with the officers and complied with their orders. Vezeau was arrested without further incident.
Vezeau was transported St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake where he received treatment for his injuries related to the K9 bite, Celli said.
Vezeau was medically cleared for incarceration and booked into the Lake County Jail for felony evasion, and misdemeanor charges of resisting a police officer and driving on a suspended driver license, according to Celli.
Bail for Vezeau was set at $70,000 and jail records indicated he remained in custody early Wednesday.
Celli said that during an interview, Vezeau told officers he led them on a pursuit because he thought he had a warrant for his arrest and believed he could get away.