CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Police arrested a Clearlake man on Monday who led officers on a vehicle pursuit and was found to be in possession of a weapon and drugs.
Jose Serapio Murillo, 38, was taken into custody on numerous charges, according to Clearlake Police Sgt. Travis Lenz.
On Monday just after 7:15 p.m. Officer Jared Nixon was on routine patrol in the city of Clearlake. Officer Nixon is currently on the field training program and was being supervised by Sgt. Lenz, who was sitting in the passenger seat of their patrol vehicle.
Lenz said Nixon observed a suspicious vehicle in the area of Old Highway 53. While following the vehicle, a black Dodge truck, Officer Nixon observed a vehicle code violation on the truck.
Nixon attempted to conduct a traffic enforcement stop on the truck by activating his patrol vehicle’s overhead emergency lights and siren on Austin Drive near the west entrance to the Ridge Lake Apartments, said Lenz.
Lenz said the truck entered the west entrance to the parking lot, and then accelerated to an unsafe speed in the parking lot. There were numerous subjects standing in the parking lot near the roadway.
The driver of the vehicle, later identified as Murillo, drove the truck out of the parking lot, then headed eastbound on Austin Drive, failing to yield to the emergency lights and siren, Lenz said.
Murillo made an abrupt right turn onto Dexter Lane and drove into a vacant field prior to coming to a complete stop. Lenz said Murillo was removed from the vehicle and placed under arrest at that time.
During a search of Murillo’s person, Officer Nixon located a small plastic bag which contained 8.5 grams of suspected methamphetamine, Lenz said.
During a search of the vehicle, Lenz said they located numerous live .38-caliber rounds of ammunition, yet did not locate a firearm.
Lenz said they began checking the area and located a .38-caliber revolver lying in the roadway of Dexter Lane at the intersection of Austin Drive.
Based on statements obtained during the investigation, it was determined Murillo threw the pistol from the vehicle during the vehicle pursuit, Lenz said.
Murillo, who is a convicted felon, was placed under arrest and later booked into the Lake County Jail on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm, prohibited person in possession of ammunition, evading a police officer while driving in wanton and willful disregard for public safety, possession of narcotics for the purposes of sales, and driving on a suspended driver license, Lenz said.
Murrillo's bail was set at $35,000. Jail records indicated he remained in custody early Wednesday.
Anyone with information in regard to this investigation is asked to contact Officer Jared Nixon at the Clearlake Police Department at 707-994-8251, Extension 543.
Clearlake man arrested for drugs, weapon possession following pursuit
- Lake County News reports
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