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Kelseyville man facing charges after leading authorities on vehicle pursuit; girlfriend arrested
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A Kelseyville man who led authorities on a high-speed vehicle chase on Tuesday evening was injured, with his girlfriend later arrested on drug and weapons charges.
Timothy Tolbert, 45, is facing numerous charges in connection to the pursuit as well as the discovery of drugs and weapons at his home, where his girlfriend, 41-year-old Amy Melissa Gregor, was arrested the following day, according to Sgt. Travis Lenz.
Just before 6 p.m. Tuesday Lenz was on routine patrol in the city of Clearlake when he observed a Honda CBR street bike motorcycle, with one rider, traveling eastbound on Lakeshore Drive during hours of darkness, without the front head light illuminated.
As Sgt. Lenz positioned his patrol vehicle behind the motorcycle to initiate a traffic enforcement stop, the rider drove the motorcycle onto the south shoulder of Lakeshore Drive, passing two stopped vehicles which were waiting at the stoplight at the intersection of Old Highway 53, Lenz said.
As the driver reached the intersection, the stoplight turned green, and the motorcycle proceeded through the intersection, heading eastbound and accelerating to a high rate of speed, Lenz said.
Lenz activated his patrol vehicle’s emergency lights and siren, yet the motorcycle failed to yield. He pursued the motorcycle to the intersection of Highway 53 at a high rate of speed.
The motorcyclist completed a right turn onto Highway 53, heading southbound and proceeding n Highway 53 at a high speed. Lenz said the driver continued southbound on Highway 53 until he reached the intersection of Highway 29. At this point, Lenz was several hundred feet behind the suspect vehicle.
Lake County Sheriff's Deputy Walter White, who was located at the intersection, got behind the motorcycle at that time, Lenz said, before the motorcyclist completed a right turn onto Highway 29 and proceeded northbound, continuing to travel at a high rate speed.
Lenz said the motorcyclist completed a right turn off Highway 29 onto Point Lakeview Road. Due to the abrupt turn the suspect made onto Point Lakeview Road, Deputy White had to proceed past Point Lakeview and turn around to safely complete the turn.
Lenz said he then got behind the motorcycle once again. After traveling a few hundred yards, the rider lost control of his motorcycle due to the unsafe speeds at which he was traveling, drove off the road and crashed into a telephone pole guide wire, prior to coming to a stop.
Sgt. Lenz and Deputy White were able to detain the rider, identified as Tolbert, who later was transported via air ambulance out of county for medical treatment due to the extent of his injuries, Lenz said.
The California Highway Patrol responded to the scene and completed the traffic collision investigation, according to Lenz.
Lenz said Tolbert also was confirmed to be on felony probation out of Tehama County for drug-related charges.
This case will be sent to the Lake County District Attorney’s Office for a complaint against Tolbert on charges which include evading a police officer while driving in wanton willful disregard for public safety, evading a police officer while traveling in the opposing lane of traffic and driving on suspended license, Lenz said.
At 11:20 a.m. Wednesday the Clearlake Police Department Investigations Unit responded to the 9300 block of Buffalo Court in Kelseyville to conduct a probation search at Tolbert’s residence, Lenz reported.
During the probation search, Lenz said detectives contacted Gregor, who resides at his home.
At the residence Lenz said detectives located a large amount of heroin packaged for the purpose of sales, a vehicle which had been reported stolen out of Clearlake two days prior, pepper spray, .45-caliber ammunition and a “billy club”-style baton.
Lenz said Gregor is a convicted felon and was placed under arrest for possession of narcotics for the purposes of sale, possession of stolen property, possession of tear gas by a prohibited person, possession of ammunition by a prohibited person and possession of a billy club. Gregor was transported to and booked into the Lake County Jail.
All of the same charges against Gregor additionally will be sent to the Lake County District Attorney’s Office for complaint on Tolbert, due to the fact he is still hospitalized, Lenz said.
The Clearlake Police Department thanked the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and the CHP for their assistance in this investigation.