Man on Probation for Felony Reckless Evading Sought by Fortuna Police for Allegedly Fleeing at Speeds of 100 MPH Today
At approximately 5:06 p.m., a Fortuna police officer attempted to stop a blue 2010 Audi with tinted windows near the intersection of Fortuna Boulevard and Kenmar. The vehicle sped off with two occupants.
According to scanner traffic, the driver took his vehicle south on 101 at speeds of up to 100 mph. The driver then fled eastbound onto 36 after running the stop sign at the offramp. He also passed another vehicle on the left and continued eastbound.
The officer discontinued pursuit and lost sight of the vehicle.
The suspect being sought in connection with this pursuit is Thomas Wheeler who is currently on probation for Felony Reckless Evading which occurs when someone flees law enforcement, according to a BOLO posted over the scanner.
Wheeler was the driver of the vehicle from which Shawn Hof, Jr. shot at a Fish and Wildlife Warden in August of 2016. Hof was sentenced to 20 years after his January trial.
According to a press release by the Department of Fish and Wildlife, Wheeler was sentenced “to a suspended sentence of eight years in state prison for the use of a firearm in aiding and abetting the assault on a peace officer, evading a peace officer with wanton and reckless disregard for person and property, two misdemeanor violations for allowing another person to shoot from a vehicle, and spotlighting.”
Earlier Chapters:
- Shooters Still on the Run Following Crash Near Hwy 36
- ‘Spotlighter’ Shoots Multiple Times at Fish and Wildlife Warden Early This Morning
- Sheriff’s Office Names Gunman Sought for Shooting at Fish and Wildlife Officer
- Reward for Information Leading to Capture of Suspect Involved in Shooting at Wildlife Officer
- $20,000 Reward Offered in Case of Suspect in Shooting at Wildlife Officer
- Law Enforcement in a Foot Chase With Suspects Near Bear River Casino
- At Least Nine Detained in Ferndale During Massive Raid
- $20,000 Reward for Man Wanted for Allegedly Attempting to Shoot a CDFW Officer
- Shawn Hof Who Allegedly Shot at Fish and Wildlife Officer Turned Himself in
- 25-Year-Old Sentenced to 20 Years for Shooting at Fish and Wildlife Officer
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I hope he enjoys his last few days of freedom. Cement walls looming ahead for him.
See what happens when the a’holes aren’t thrown in prison?
So if he got a suspended sentence for firing on a peace officer, exactly how long is he going to serve in jail? Is it going to be in County, or State?
Wheeler wasn’t the one who fired on the warden. Hof was. This should be a local crime not a federal one.
Actually thomas did fire Shawn took the blame because thats his little brother…
That may be true but, in a court, Shawn was convicted and those are the only facts I have. If you have facts to back that up, why didn’t you speak up and stop Shawn from going to jail?
Not true…. Thomas was driving
Why do [edit] refer to their friends as family? No, wheeler is not his little brother or his cousin or uncle or anything.
Trashy rednecks don’t!!!
Your friends my be the only family you have or you don’t want to claim the family you got. I’ll trust my friend with my life before I’ll trust some of my family….
But they are still your friends, not a brother, auntie or uncle. You may love them as family, but that doesn’t make them an uncle.
Excuse me but I’m neither trashy or a red neck… And yeah thomas is Shawna little step brother… Obviously you know neither of them or there family so why start name calling when you dont know? No need to be rude
Btw didnt know you can judge someone as a “trashy red neck” just from a comment. You really had no reason to comment amd be rude as hell to me for no reason. They may not be family by blood but they were step sibling.
And instead of belittling someone you know absolutely nothing about why not educate. I was always taught to educate not belittle someone. Not everyone in humboldt is a trashy red neck or tweaker or any of that. You can’t just assume that of someone by a comment. Its just rude.
Perspective do you know what a Redneck even is? You might want to look that one up, “REDNECK”
He actually is his stepbrother because Danny was with his mom
“with” or married? Big difference. Again, another redneck situation. Because someone is bedding down with someone else, doesn’t make them a wife or husband and certainly does not make the children step brothers or sisters.
And again not a red neck situation. Perspective why do you keep on trying to argue about it. You obviously dont know the family at all….
So, they were legally married or not? A yes or no would suffice as the answer.
Quite frankly, I wasnt taking into account the tragedy the Wheelers have endured. For that I apologize. It still baffles me when friends call friends brothers, uncles and aunties, when they are clearly not related.
You are very correct mommyof8. They are all my family.
As are they mine. And this whole thing has me sick to my stomach… And before anyone e starts calling me redneck trash yes they are my family by marriage.. Have been for 19 years
Well, then…he took the blame so…I’m blaming him unless I have evidence to the contrary.
Why is it that wheelers picture isn’t posted when he is the one that is being pursued at the moment????
Because I don’t have it.
So putting Shawns picture helps to catch wheeler how??
It doesn’t help to catch Wheeler. It helps to remind people of what earlier news story Wheeler was connected to. Some people will remember better with the photograph.
Would be nice to know why they were pursuing him in the first place and if it had tinted windows how they know its him….. Innocent until proven guilty right…. This article has him tried and convicted already
Don’t you think “Tried and Convicted” is a little strong for “The suspect being sought in connection with this pursuit is Thomas Wheeler?” Also, the officer in pursuit said the two had been stopped at a gas station and he asked someone to go look at surveillance tapes. I don’t know whether Fortuna Police have already done that but it seems likely as they put out a BOLO for Wheeler already.
8 year suspended prison sentence he could now be sentenced to serve that time imn state prison.
Enjoy your ñew unsuspended sentence lad. The courts gave you a break and you threw the opportunity away to become a productive citizen.
Any tinting of the front seat side windows is illegal. If you have tinted side windows you are asking to be pulled over by law enforcement.
No, passenger side can have up to 5% tint, nothing darker.
If you buy out of state it’s a little different. You can not buy in the state heavy tinted windows. If you tint them yourself your in the wrong. Just like all vehicles must have front plates and all trucks cannot have a hitch on that blocks the plate unless they have a trailer on it. So hitch on trailer on trailer off hitch off. Dot your i’s and cross your t’s before you speak because I’m sure I just schooled a bunch of you….
5 %is the darkest tint… 35%,is the legal on front in some states but not in clips unless factory tinted
Driving a hundred miles per hour is not recommended during weather conditions like this.
some folks just cant be reached. (Cool Hand Luke)
So, if you can get to 36 you’re home free? Sends a nice message. Do folks out 36 way need to create their own Law Enforcement? Could get ugly.
His family has property and a cabin on Buck mtn. out 36.
No it just means that the officer used his brain and cut off the pursuit on a road that has claimed so many lives.
“What we have here is a failure to communicate!”
ok…this is fun! “one in the box…one in the bush…
Wow, are Shawn Hof and Zach Harrison genetically identical?
There are so many of these inbred tweaker losers in Humboldt that I have lost the ability to tell them apart!
I certainly hope this “super driver” gets put away for awhile before people die behind his actions!
I have personally been on 101 too many times when some psycho blew by at triple digit speeds!
Why is it that my brothers getting treated like shit on here when all he’s done is try and help that family out but that little piece of shit Thomas went and stabbed him in the back,in my opinion Thomas deserves every bad thing that happens to him oh and let’s just be honest with ourselves they’re gonna catch Thomas and he’ll be out in a few weeks because cops just let the snitch go
I’m not sure why (based on the information that the public has) you would expect people to hold your brother in high regard. If you have some information that would change this, feel free to share it.
What? Your brother was a habitual poacher. He was also involved with the attempted murder of a F&W officer and you say all he has done is “try and help that family”. Seems you are only upset at Thomas because he snitched.
Big words do you have anything to back that up?
I want to play…….
“sometimes nothing can be a real cool hand”
Seems like I’ve been hearing the name ‘Wheeler’ for 20 years or so. None of it has been good.
“I don’t care if it rains, snows or freezes etc.ect.ect.”
Ok…..one more!! “You run one time, you got yourself a set of chains. You run twice you got yourself two sets. You ain’t gonna need no third set, ’cause you gonna get your mind right Mr. Wheeler”.
Ok… I added the Mr. Wheeler part. It wasn’t in the movie.
“Anything looks that good gots to be called Lucille!”
“God she don’t know what she’s doing.”
I hate it when my dirt is in Boss Kean’s ditch.
“No more boss, Please! please Boss!”
“…..any man don’t keep order spends a night in… the box”
OK…….can’t resist. “Shakin’ it up here boss, shakin’ it up”.