- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On
Vehicle pursuit leads to crash, small vegetation fire
UPPER LAKE, Calif. – An early morning high speed chase around Upper Lake led to a vehicle crash and a small vegetation fire.
The crash occurred just before 2:30 a.m. Friday on Elk Mountain Road.
For about 15 minutes before the crash, Lake County Sheriff's deputies were involved in a chase with a vehicle – a description of which was not immediately available – according to radio traffic.
The pursuit wound all over Upper Lake, with the vehicle being chased by deputies running stop signs and speeding past the high school at about 50 miles per hour, based on radio reports.
The chase then led onto Elk Mountain Road, where deputies reported that the vehicle they were chasing was crossing the double yellow lines and traveling at speeds of about 80 miles per hour. At that point, deputies were reporting that they believed three juveniles were in the pursuit vehicle's back seat.
The vehicle finally crashed into a ditch in the area of 12657 Elk Mountain Road, with the driver bailing out and running toward the White Rock Canyon area, deputies said.
Deputies said the vehicle burst into flames, and they requested firefighters respond due to the fire moving quickly into vegetation. A total of four people were reported to be injured.
Northshore Fire and Cal Fire responded. Firefighters arriving on scene initially requested a REACH air ambulance, later canceling it and transporting patients via ground ambulance.
The forward progress of the fire was stopped just after 3 a.m., with the size estimated at an eighth of an acre, according to radio reports.
Just before 3:45 a.m., reports from the scene indicated that fire units would be on scene for mop up for up to an hour.
It was not clear early Friday if the driver of the vehicle was located and taken into custody.
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