NORTH COAST, Calif. – A Clearlake Oaks man was arrested by Ukiah Police after a chase that occurred earlier this week.
Victor Branko Rodin, 49, was arrested following the chase, which occurred on Monday afternoon, according to a report from Ukiah Police Capt. Justin Wyatt.
At about 4:30 p.m. Monday Ukiah Police officers responded to the parking lot at Anton Stadium at 506 Park Blvd. for a domestic disturbance, Wyatt said.
Callers reported seeing a man and a woman arguing, and saw the male subject – identified later as Rodin – get into a white Ford pickup and drive the vehicle in circles in the parking lot, smoking the tires, Wyatt said. Rodin then left in the vehicle, with witnesses giving his description and that of the pickup to Ukiah Police.
Wyatt said a responding officer spotted Rodin's pickup and attempted to stop it in the 800 block of N. State Street. Rodin refused to stop and proceeded northbound, refusing to yield to the officer’s lights and siren.
The pickup ran the red light at the intersection with Low Gap Road, causing cross traffic to swerve to avoid a collision, and proceeded westbound on Low Gap Road, Wyatt said. The vehicle reached speeds of 50 miles per hour then turned southbound onto N. Bush Street, running the stop sign.
The pursuit continued through several intersections to Walnut Avenue, where Rodin turned westbound, failing to stop for all posted stop signs, and continued at about 30 miles per hour until reaching the area of Todd Grove Park, according to Wyatt.
Rodin then circled the park five times at about 20 miles per hour, with officers pursuing. Wyatt said Rodin was seen talking on a cellular telephone and looking back at the pursuing officers.
Additional Ukiah Police Officers and Mendocino County Sheriff’s deputies responded to assist with the pursuit, and Rodin swerved around one of the police vehicles before circling the park another time then proceeding to the Anton Stadium parking lot, Wyatt said.
Wyatt said Rodin then stopped the vehicle and was taken into custody without further incident.
Rodin is on parole in Lake County for threats. Wyatt said Ukiah Police officers have had several contacts with Rodin, who appears to now be living in the Ukiah area.
Rodin was arrested for felony vehicular evasion, reckless driving and violating parole, and booked into the Mendocino County Jail. Jail records showed that Rodin's bail was set at $135,000.
In a footnote to the story, it was Rodin who in February 2008 was the focus of a missing person call at a Cobb Mountain home that led to an officer-involved shooting involving then-Deputy Frank Rivero, who was elected Lake County sheriff in November 2010.
Rivero responded to the scene along with another deputy and encountered Rodin in the home. Rivero shot at Rodin, who was unarmed, but did not hit him.
It was the investigation into that shooting and allegations that Rivero had changed his story about why he shot at Rodin that led to the Lake County District Attorney's Office placing Rivero on a list of “Brady” officers with credibility issues early last year, as Lake County News has reported.