Vehicle Evades EPD–Alleged Driver Nabbed While Reporting It Stolen

Eureka Police Dept. Press Release: 

On 7-1-13 at about 1:21 PM an officer with the Eureka Police Department attempted a traffic stop on a vehicle on 7th Street at ‘C’ Street for a traffic violation.  As soon as the officer activated his emergency lights the vehicle accelerated to about 70 mph and fled from the officer.  The vehicle reached speeds of over 70 mph on 7th St.  The vehicle also failed to stop for red lights at several at intersections narrowly missing collisions with other vehicles.  The vehicle made several unsafe lane changes around other vehicles traveling on 7th St.  Due to the high speeds and traffic congestion the officer was unable to keep up with the vehicle.  The officer lost sight of the vehicle on 7th St near Myrtle Ave. 

At about 1:24 PM officers located the vehicle unoccupied in the parking area of Cooper’s Gulch on the 1700 block of 10th St.  Witnesses reported the male driver fled on foot into Cooper’s Gulch.

Several officers from the Eureka Police Department conducted a search of the area for about 45 minutes but were unable to locate the driver.

Based on several prior contacts the officer that pursued the vehicle recognized the driver as the registered owner of the vehicle.  The driver was identified as Steven Nicholas Upton, age 23 of Eureka.

The vehicle was towed and impounded.

At about 3:30 PM, Upton phoned the Eureka Police Department to report his vehicle as stolen.  The officer, who pursued him, responded to Wabash Ave and ‘C’ St and met with Upton.  The officer immediately recognized Upton as the driver of the vehicle and he was arrested for felony evading a peace officer in a vehicle, failure to wear a seat belt, failure to stop for a red light at an intersection and unsafe lane change.