Cloverdale Burglary Suspects Caught After High-Speed Pursuit Near Ukiah; CHP Officer Crashes with Semi During Chase

Two suspects accused of stealing hundreds of dollars in merchandise from multiple pharmacies across Northern California were arrested Friday after a high-speed pursuit up and down Highway 101—an operation that ended with spike strips, a shut-down freeway, and a California Highway Patrol officer collision with a semi-truck.

The incident began around 12:30 p.m. on August 1, when Cloverdale Police responded to a report of a burglary in progress at the CVS Pharmacy on South Cloverdale Boulevard. A male suspect entered the store, grabbed approximately $400 in skincare products, and fled in a waiting white Mazda sedan driven by a female accomplice and also containing a small dog. The getaway was swift—lasting only about 30 seconds—and the vehicle’s rear license plate had been intentionally obscured.

Thanks to Cloverdale’s FLOCK license plate recognition cameras, officers quickly identified the suspect vehicle and issued a BOLO (Be On the Lookout) alert to nearby agencies. Within 15 minutes, the same vehicle was spotted on FLOCK cameras in Hopland. Soon after, the suspects struck again, this time hitting a Walgreens in Ukiah. As they continued north, cameras captured the vehicle in Willits. Willits Police and CHP began pursuing the suspects.

CHP soon advised on the scanner that the vehicle had reversed direction and was heading south on Highway 101. Officers deployed spike strips several times, eventually disabling the car and arresting both suspects in a felony stop. The southbound lanes of Highway 101 near Lake Mendocino Drive were temporarily closed as officers secured the scene. An animal control officer was requested to deal with the suspects’ dog.

The suspects Birdean Gaines, female, and Dejon Wilkes, male, were arrested and charged as follows.

However, the aggressive pursuit came with risks. During the chase, one CHP officer collided with a semi-truck near Reeves Canyon Road. The crash, which may have also involved a large pickup, resulted in minor injuries, according to the CHP Traffic Incident Information Page.  Travel on northbound 101 was impacted for some time.

Further investigation revealed that the suspects are believed to be involved in a broader, multi-jurisdictional theft operation stretching from Sonoma County into the Bay Area. The male suspect also had an outstanding felony warrant related to prior theft offenses.

In a statement, Cloverdale Police praised the interagency coordination and credited the FLOCK camera system for helping to track and apprehend the suspects swiftly.

Earlier: Robbery Suspects flee police in wild pursuit through Mendocino County