LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A Ukiah man who in January took a vehicle belonging to bail bond agents and earlier this month stole two vehicles and thousands of dollars’ worth of tools and equipment has been arrested in New Mexico.
Gregory Chad Crumpler, 41, was taken into custody this past week after he was found with a stolen Jeep at a motel in Moriarty, New Mexico, according to the California Highway Patrol’s Clear Lake Area office.
Over the past few weeks, Crumpler is alleged to have been involved in several thefts and even a vehicle pursuit with authorities.
The CHP said Crumpler – driving a 2001 Chevy Silverado pickup – led a Lake County CHP unit on a short vehicle chase at 2:20 a.m. May 16 on Highland Springs Road near Highway 29.
Due to weather and the action of the driver – later determined to be Crumpler – authorities said the pursuing CHP unit canceled the pursuit for safety reasons.
The following day, the abandoned pickup was located near the Highland Springs Reservoir, the CHP said.
The pickup was found to have been stolen out of Mendocino County. In the bed of the truck was several thousand dollars’ worth of stolen property, much of it from a Performance Mechanical Heating and Cooling van that had been parked at Guy Strohmeier’s Auto Center on South Main Street in Lakeport for service, according to the CHP.
Crumpler is wanted in Mendocino County for charges related to drug sales and criminal threats, and he also had stolen a vehicle from Sacramento area bail bond agents in Lower Lake in January, resulting in the bail bond agents shooting at him as he fled the scene in their vehicle, as Lake County News has reported.
On May 21, the Clear Lake Area CHP responded to a report of a commercial burglary and vehicle theft from Strohmeier’s Auto Center in Lakeport. The CHP said officers learned that at some time during the prior night, a 2015 Jeep Cherokee was stolen.
The officers suspected that Crumpler had returned to Strohmeier’s and stolen the Jeep, the CHP said.
The CHP officers were able to get a GPS location on the vehicle, which they learned was at a Super 8 Motel in Moriarty, New Mexico.
The Clear Lake Area CHP contacted the Moriarty Police Department and passed the information about the vehicle’s location to them.
Within minutes, Moriarty Police officers had located the Jeep and had Crumpler in custody, the CHP said.
“Clear Lake CHP would like to thank Moriarty Police Department for their quick response in apprehending this suspect,” the agency said in its report. “The California Highway Patrol is committed to providing the highest level of safety, service and security to the communities we serve and is proud of the hard work our officers put into action to ensure this subject is brought to justice.”
It’s not yet been reported when Crumpler may be returned to California to face charges in Lake and Mendocino counties.
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Ukiah man arrested in New Mexico with vehicle stolen from Lakeport
- Elizabeth Larson
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