CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Police last week arrested a Clearlake man who led officers on a high speed chase in a stolen vehicle and also took his passenger into custody on a warrant.
Sgt. Travis Lenz said police arrested 20-year-old Kashi Shiva Arbeeny on charges related to the pursuit and stolen vehicle.
Just after 9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 9, Officer Matthew Huot was on duty conducting routine patrol when he observed a gold in color Chevrolet Impala traveling southbound on Old Highway 53. The Impala’s passenger side rear tail light was not illuminated, a violation of the California Vehicle Code, Lenz said.
Lenz said Officer Huot initiated a traffic enforcement stop on the Impala in the 15000 block of Lakeshore Drive. The driver, later identified as Arbeeny, pulled his vehicle off the south roadway edge of Lakeshore Drive and briefly came to a complete stop.
Once stopped, Arbeeny then accelerated the vehicle back into the roadway and continued eastbound on Lakeshore Drive, reaching high rates of speed, Lenz said.
Officer Huot initiated a vehicle pursuit at that time, giving chase after Arbeeny. Lenz said Huot pursued Arbeeny for approximately three and a half miles before he again stopped at the intersection of Boyles Avenue and 37th Avenue.
At that time, officers from the Clearlake Police Department as well as deputies from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office who arrived to assist conducted a high risk traffic stop on the vehicle, Lenz said.
Lenz said Arbeeny was removed from the vehicle and placed under arrest at that time. The only other occupant in the vehicle, identified as 33-year-old Nice resident Don Louis Presler, was removed from the vehicle and detained at that time for questioning.
A records check of the Impala through the Department of Motor Vehicles revealed it had been previously reported to the California Highway Patrol as stolen out of Middletown on Sept. 8. Lenz said the victim of the vehicle theft was contacted, responded to the scene and took possession of their stolen vehicle.
A records check of Presler revealed he had an outstanding warrant out of Mendocino County for traffic violations, Lenz said.
Based on statements obtained during the investigation, it was determined Arbeeny stole the vehicle from Middletown the day prior, according to Lenz.
Arbeeny was later booked into the Lake County Jail on charges of evading a peace officer in a motor vehicle while driving in wanton and willful disregard for public safety, evading a peace officer in a motor vehicle while traveling in the opposing lane of traffic, possession of a controlled substance, vehicle theft, and driving on a suspended license.
His bail was set at $35,000 and he remained in custody early Wednesday, according to jail records.
Presler, who was determined not to have been involved in the vehicle theft, was booked into the Lake County Jail on his outstanding arrest warrant, Lenz said.
Anyone with information in regard to this investigation is asked to contact Officer Huot at the Clearlake Police Department at 707-994-8251 Ext. 501.