17-Year-Old Driver Leads Law Enforcement on Night Time Vehicle Pursuit in Northern Mendocino County
At approximately 10:15 on the evening of August 24, 2021 Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office deputies attempted a traffic stop on a black Dodge ram which resulted in a vehicle pursuit exceeding speeds of 100 miles per hour and the eventual detainment and citation of the 17-year-old driver and 19-year-old passenger.
Sergeant Matthew Harvey of the California Highway Patrol Garberville Office told us the pursuit began on Highway 101 near the intersection with Reynolds highway after MCSO deputies attempted to stop the vehicle for “oversized tires,” a safety concern associated with vehicle being too high off the ground which can throw mud and other hazards behind a vehicle. CHP was requested to take over the pursuit while MCSO deputies continued to assist.
Sergeant Harvey said CHP’s Laytonville’s resident post officer got into position and took over as the primary unit continuing north on Highway 101 where the vehicle reached speeds of 100 miles per hour.
The vehicle cut east on Highway 162, a particularly windy road driving up to 90 miles per hour, where Sergeant Harvey said the driver “continued to evade” driving at a high rate of speed. Traffic was light at that hour and as law enforcement observed the vehicle “showing driving behavior consistent with reckless driving.”
The vehicle cut north on Dos Rios road and stayed right onto Poonkinney Road, a road once again characterized by tight corners and thin lanes. The pursuing officer “briefly lost sight of the vehicle” on Poonkinney Road and chose to discontinue the pursuit, continued searching, and found the vehicle unoccupied and abandoned on the side of Poonkinney Road.
At that point, both MCSO deputies and Round Valley Tribal Police were enroute to the location and Sergeant Harvey explained that as Tribal Police rounded a corner they located and detained who they believed and later confirmed were the driver and passenger of the vehicle.
Sergeant Harvey said the driver of the vehicle was a 17-year-old male from Round Valley who was placed under arrest for felony evading, violation of probation terms, and delaying/obstructing/resisting a police officer. The driver’s name cannot be released due to him being a minor. The minor was “released to a responsible parent at the scene,” Sergeant Harvey said.
The passenger of the vehicle was identified as Bryan Sanchez-Montiel, a 19-year-old who was placed under arrest for delaying/obstructing/resisting a police officer and violation of probation who was also cited and released at the scene.
Bryan Sanchez, according to press releases issued by the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office, has been booked in the last year for felony residential burglary and found with a 17-year-old male at the Lake Mendocino Boat ramp in possession of heroin, cocaine, and a hand gun.
Initial reporting regarding the circumstances indicated responding officers were concerned a firearm could be involved and Sergeant Harvey explained that no firearms were located. He explained the vehicle’s registered owner is known to carry firearms, not the 17-year-old driver or 19-year-old passenger.
CHP Air Operations were actually dispatched out of Redding and en route to the vehicle pursuit that evening, but the pursuit was successfully ended before they reached location, Sergeant Harvey explained.
Considering the precipitous nature of the roadways involved in Tuesday night’s vehicle pursuit, Sergeant Harvey described the extensive training CHP officers undertake to safely maneuver their vehicles around the steep grades and hairpin turns of Mendocino County’s roadways. He told us CHP officers train for a variety of terrains, temperatures, and conditions.
Sergeant Harvey said there are specialized tracks CHP officers use to practice “S” curves at high speeds, understanding the dynamics of all of the vehicles (Dodge Chargers, Chevrolet Tahoes, old school Crown Victorias). CHP Officers practice how to recover a vehicle when it skids out of control and participate in annual reviews of these skills on “short, condensed tracks” designed to simulate the conditions where these skills are necessary.
Beyond the maneuvering, Sergeant Harvey said CHP officers are trained to constantly evaluate the risk vs. gain in continuing a vehicle pursuit. Pursuing officers have to always consider whether the risk of chasing the vehicle can endanger the public. There are several factors that inform that decision making including driving behavior, weather, and roadway conditions. He described this decision making process as complex requiring constant consideration and evaluation. CHP’s vehicle pursuit policy has actually been accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Sergeant Harvey said.
Previous Coverage
- [UPDATE: Suspects Detained] Law Enforcement Engaged in Vehicle Pursuit North of Willits
- 19-Year-Old Ukiah Man and Juvenile Found at Lake Mendocino Boat Ramp Possessing Heroin, Cocaine, and a Handgun
- 18-Year-Old Ukiah Man Booked for Felony Residential Burglary Warrant After Traffic Stop
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CHP. Offer that 17 year old a job. Point out he’d take home more money than growing in RV. Retire at 48. Drive fast…when appropriate, and with training.
Snort!
Hi Kym, any pictures of the truck … I have oversized tires and a 6″ suspension lift, wondering if I’ll get pulled over for such a thing… is that the ‘no mud flaps law’….? Sounds like an excuse to pull someone, no a reason to pull some over… My dad calls it a “fishing trip” like pulling over someone to see if their window tint is too dark or if they are Black/Latino driving a rental car in the Emerald Triangle…
No photos unfortunately.
Follow the vehicle code law ie no lift kit etc and it will not be a problem.
My GUESS is it has zero to do with their skin color and more to do with the gang tats on their face. Love how these scum bags are caught with drugs, stolen jewelry and illegal possessing guns then want to blame the cops andcome up with BS excuses like race cared or other crap.
The cops do not endanger the other drives by chasing criminals the people running from the cops are the problem. If they pull over there is no pursuit. Funny how that works.
Well sounds like the 17yo is fast tracking to success.
Just note: the Mendo CHP and Mendocino Sheriffs Department will make up any reason to pull you or your kids over. We are fortunate that we are not looking at a group of dead teenagers! The CHP and Mendo Sheriff have literally killed many people, many kids in these brainless chases… now they are chasing our sons and daughters for such stupidity as “over sized tires”… the CHP and Sheriff were willing to chase these kids out Covelo Rd and Poonkinney Rd on terribly dangerous roads for the sheer excitement of the chase. Over sized tires and failure to yield are not good enough excuses in my book. The Senseless cops high on adrnaline nearly killed these dkids and nearly killed us when they passed by us chasing these youths. There needs to be laws passed that protect the public from these fackas. How many dead teenagers does it take to “end the chase in California”? How many dead onlookers, how many dead infants and senior citizens? They are always willing to bring in their copter from Redding for car chases but never for missing persons. Lets not forget that CHP left that one black man down by the river last year after he crashed between Willits and Laytonville. HE FROZE TO DEATH INJURED! CHP didmt even call a helicopter to search for the man, the CHP did not even go down the embankment and look for Reggie. They didnt even search for him cause it was “cold and icey”. His family found him dead the next morning less than a quarter mile from the accident. He had froze to death of hypothermia… Of course it wasnt an adrenaline fueled chase though! These cops make stupid decisions like chasing a car for oversized tires, they risk innocent persons lives, they routinely kill our families and neighbors in these wreckless and senseless chases of andrenaline rage “we are the police: you must obey”. Slimey pigs who do not care about anything but obedience and power. Worthless scumbags to the core! When they are not chasing our youth they are busy robbing our farms and homes, stealing our property and stealing our cash which never ends up on the evidence receipts. We have a Sheriff Department who is high and drunk on power. They are not to be trusted or respected; they are the filth of Mendocino!
Your post is an overstatement of reality. Your beginning sentence should have said, “We are the drivers and we must obey the rules that ensure safety” for yourself and others who drive the roads. Large tires are not one of the rules unless the hang out beyond the wheel wells and then in rainy conditions they pose a hazard.
Well enforcing those same rules , saving lives need to be the focus not contempt of cop , shooting someone with a taser simply for refusing to get out of their car bullshit , a 80 year old grandmother no less smh police do not have a easy job by no means however the laws the level of enforcement needs to be relative the the crime, the average chimp has a iq of something like 93 while the average loe has a iq of 87. We basically have given a bunch of people with guns and permission to use them that are less intelligent than a bunch of chimps.
Ever see that youtube video where someone gives a chimp a ak-47 ? Well what do you expect will happen when we give weapons to a group that has a lower iq
“MCSO deputies attempted to stop the vehicle for “oversized tires”
That is the most ridiculous thing I’ve read this week. That is what we call an “excuse”
Has been on the books a very long time in CA.
Nothing new.
The physics for the basis of the law is sound.
Chip is aggressively enforcing road laws on the 101 mendo and Humboldt. Article yesterday….
There is no excuse for risking the lives of our youth! Just because they are from Round Valley “the forgotten stepchild of Mendocino” … it does not give these assholes with badges a right to chase to death our youth who are still learning lessons, growing up and making mistakes along the way.. they cant just chase every fucking car that refuses to “yield to their authority”. We very easily could have been looking at 2 dead teenagers. This chase was pointless and endangered many innocent lives including these teenagers and officers. The CHP and Sheriff shouod have called it off as soon as it hit Covelo Road; but instead they kept the pursuit figuring lives from Covelo are worth less, another Racist decision! Calling for the immediate resignation of Sheriff Matt Kendall!
He has a latin kings gang tattoo on his face so screw that guy. What about his victims?
Agree, but if they were ‘good boys’ in the truck, why didn’t they just pull over? They could’ve tossed alot of bad things out of the truck during the pursuit. Not saying they did, but…
You’re missing my point.
A lying cop is not good
Are you saying he did not have oversized tires, or are you saying that oversized tires do not create a hazzard by changing the dynamics of the vehicle? Or are you saying that because he used the violation of the oversized tires as a legal reason to stop and check for possible other illegal activities, he is lying about the tires? Or are we still missing your point?
👍 Mr Bear.
Mine’s bigger
Mendocino Sheriffs Deputies have had a culture of lying stealing and abusing power for decades! Calling for immediate resignation of Sheriff Matt Kendall!
Somebody scribbled on his face
Dad, this is my new boyfriend Bryan———–BOOM
“Responsible parent?”
Seriously. That’s what I got from the article too.
I fear for the futures of these young men
Yes, at this point it doesn’t look too promising.
can someone explain to me why anyone would get a neck face or head tat
Joe Dirt most of those tattoos have something to do with his gang affiliation. If you look at the dot tattoos on his face there is one dot on one side and four dots on the other. That’s a gang tatoo. 14th st. I also do not understand why anyone would run a brand themselves with something like that especially on their face
Many real natives- native American tribal members- wear them. It goes back a very long time and extends up into Alaskan tribes. Respect for them. I don’t know why anybody else would…confusion?
Ahh, yes, they must be traditional Native American ,um, face tats. Well, alrighty then..
I see we have gang experts up in here !!! Must of got that on Google eh 😐
Watch a lot of gangland on TV and listen to snoop doggy dog…
Mas Puto-Nope. I have worked in juvenile detention facilities. I have worked extensively with young people involved in gangs. I did not need Google to determine hat this young person is gang affiliated. Sorry to disappoint 😜
Get this guy in the mullet contest ASAP!
Good call. That is a nice Tennessee waterfall
Made my day!
We all have know for years you can be pulled over for oversized tires especially if they stick out beyond the fender. Nothing new, just rarely enforced around here cuz 80% of the trucks are in violation
Its a pick and choose enforcement! Meaning: if your white oversized tires are okay…
But if your native or black or latino then oversized tires and failire to yield are enough to chase you out Covelo Road and Poonkinney and try to run and ram your car off the road! They will even kill you and point guns at you for failing to obey their bullshit authority. Calling for immediate resignation of Sheriff Matt Kendall!
I’m so impressed that we taxpayers still have so much money to throw around that we’ll endanger multiple lives and send out a helicopter from Redding in pursuit of a bogus technical vehicle issue. Ok, so he wouldn’t pull over, I get it. But a helicopter from Redding? How much does that cost? Maybe the 6 closer counties were already using their helicopters for fire fighting.
I have to say I mostly agree. I’m sure at some point they got the plate number. Back off & take it from there. There’s basically one well traveled route in & out. They also like to use the “known to be armed” excuse. Basically who isn’t armed in covelo. If these cops actually cared about the Round Valley community they would be out there daily doing vehicle stops & letting people know it is a zero tolerance zone. But they are lazy cowards who talk a big talk & then go shake down some mom & pops
I see vehicles almost every day with tires extending beyond the wheel wells or with the fenders entirely removed. This has always been illegal because they will kick up rocks and endanger the occupants of other vehicles, including motorcycles. I was ticketed for this in the ‘70’s.