- Lake County News reports
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Middletown man arrested Sunday after vehicle pursuit
MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – An early Sunday morning pursuit ended with the arrest of a Middletown man who was stopped after running over a spike strip deployed by a California Highway Patrol officer.
Arthur Wayne Weatherwax Jr., 20, was taken into custody following the incident, according to Lt. Steve Brooks of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
At 1 a.m. Sunday a Lake County Sheriff’s patrol deputy was traveling north on Highway 29 approaching Middletown when he observed a white Ford pickup pull onto the highway from Butts Canyon Road without stopping at the stop sign, Brooks said.
The deputy activated his vehicle’s emergency lights and siren in an attempt to conduct an enforcement stop. Brooks said the driver of the vehicle, later identified as Weatherwax, activated his emergency flashers, started to pull over and then accelerated, failing to yield.
According to the deputy, Weatherwax accelerated up to approximately 90 miles per hour, crossing over the double yellow and white fog line several times. Brooks said Weatherwax reportedly passed a vehicle over the double yellow line, driving in the oncoming lane of traffic between the Bar X ranch and Grange Road.
Weatherwax also drove through the intersection of Highway 29 and Hartmann Road at approximately 60 miles per hour, failing to stop at the stop sign. Brooks said Weatherwax continued traveling north on Highway 29 maintaining a speed of approximately 90 miles per hour.
A California Highway Patrol officer deployed a spike strip at Highway 29 and C Street in Lower Lake, which punctured both front tires of the pickup, Brooks said.
The vehicle started to slow down as the front tires deflated. Brooks said Weatherwax then started driving in the oncoming lane of traffic of Highway 29, just north of Spruce grove Road in Lower Lake.
Brooks said a second deputy had joined the pursuit and went ahead of Weatherwax’s vehicle in an attempt to clear oncoming traffic to avoid a collision with the suspect’s vehicle.
As they approached Clayton Creek Road, Brooks said Weatherwax slowed to approximately 25 miles per hour and started pulling off to the shoulder of the highway, as if he was going to stop, according to Brooks.
The deputy in front of Weatherwax slowed down as well and Brooks said Weatherwax then accelerated quickly toward the rear of the second deputy’s patrol car and attempted to strike it with his vehicle. The deputy was able to avoid the collision by quickly accelerating.
Weatherwax continued north on Highway 29 and then onto Highway 53. After the front tires of his pickup disintegrated he was no longer able to maintain control of the vehicle and stopped on Highway 53, just north of Anderson Ranch, Brooks said.
Weatherwax exited his vehicle and lay down in the prone position next to his pickup, Brooks said. Weatherwax was taken into custody without further incident.
Weatherwax was arrested for evading a peace officer with willful or wanton regard for the safety of persons or property and assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer, and transported to the Lake County Hill road Correctional Facility where he was booked, Brooks said.
On Monday Weatherwax remained in custody, with bail set at $50,000, according to jail records.