Fort Bragg Police Arrest Juvenile for Allegedly Fleeing Traffic Stop in Stolen Car
FORT BRAGG, CA — A juvenile was taken into custody last week following a vehicle pursuit in Fort Bragg, according to police.
At around 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 19, a Fort Bragg police officer pulled over a vehicle that failed at a posted stop sign near the intersection of Chestnut Street and Harrison Street, police said in a press release.
As the officer attempted to initiate a traffic stop, the driver allegedly fled at a high rate of speed.
The officer began a pursuit, which covered less than a mile, lasted under a minute, and reached speeds of up to 70 mph. During the pursuit, the driver reportedly collided with a street sign at Chestnut Street and South Sanderson Way but continued driving.
The driver ultimately lost control of the vehicle while turning at the intersection of Sanderson Way and East Oak Street, went over a curb, and came to a stop in the front yard of a residence. The structure was not struck, police said.
The driver fled the scene on foot and was apprehended a short distance away.
Dispatch informed officers during the incident that the vehicle had been reported stolen. An investigation determined it had been stolen only minutes before the officer attempted the traffic stop.
The juvenile suspect, reportedly a Fort Bragg resident, was booked into Mendocino County Juvenile Hall on suspicion of vehicle theft, possession of a stolen vehicle, felony evading, vandalism over $400, resisting arrest, and hit-and-run.
