Clearlake man arrested in Ukiah with stolen vehicle, mail
- Lake County News reports
- Posted On
NORTH COAST, Calif. – Mendocino County authorities arrested a Clearlake man after finding him in possession of a stolen vehicle and mail that was stolen from a number of Ukiah residences.
Javier Mejia Valencia, 29, was arrested late Wednesday night, according to Sgt. Matthew Kendall of the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office.
Kendall said that in preparation for the holiday season, the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office began working with local citizens on an intensive surveillance program, targeting thefts from rural mail boxes.
As a result of that effort, at about 11:15 p.m. Wednesday the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office became aware that a subject began taking mail and packages from the Oak Knoll Road area, Kendall said.
Responding deputies spotted the subject and he suddenly fled, speeding away in a vehicle as he observed an approaching patrol vehicle. Kendall said deputies pursued the vehicle to the area of Poulos Court where the driver jumped from the vehicle as it was still in motion.
Kendall said the vehicle the male subject was driving hit a parked car while the fleeing driver began running through the yards of residences in the area, attempting to elude capture.
Officers from the Ukiah Police Department, responding to assist the deputies in this pursuit, contacted Mejia Valencia exiting the rear of a residence on Tedford Avenue, Kendall said.
Mejia Valencia told officers he lived in the house and had simply walked outside to see what was going on. However, Kendall said officers noticed Mejia Valencia was sweating and had mud and debris from trees on his head and clothing.
When officers asked Mejia Valencia his address, he could not provide the numbers or the street name, Kendall said.
Kendall said deputies found the vehicle was reported stolen out of Napa County. The license plates had been removed and paper dealer plates were attached to the vehicle.
The vehicle contained several pieces of stolen mail and packages from the Oak Knoll Road area. Also located in the vehicle was Mejia Valencia’s cellular telephone, Kendall said.
Kendall said Mejia Valencia is currently on probation after recently being released from state prison under the state prison realignment.
Mejia Valencia was booked into the Mendocino County Jail on charges of mail theft, grand theft, possession of stolen property, reckless evasion and violation of probation. Kendall said Mejia Valencia is being held without bail.
Lake County District Attorney Don Anderson said Mejia Valencia has a history of spousal battery cases as well as other vehicle theft cases, including a November case in which he was reported to have stolen a car out of Santa Rosa.