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Sunday night high-speed chase leads to arrest
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A Clearlake man who led law enforcement on a lengthy high-speed vehicle chase from Calistoga to Clearlake late Sunday night was apprehended by a police K9 after the man abandoned his vehicle and was found hiding in a trailer.
Mario Tito Mirabella, 26, was taken into custody by “Bear,” a Clearlake Police K9, according to Clearlake Police Sgt. Tim Hobbs.
Hobbs said that Sunday night just before 10:30 p.m. a Calistoga Police officer attempted to pull a Chevy Malibu over in the city of Calistoga.
The driver, identified as Mirabella, failed to yield to the officer and fled in the vehicle northbound on Highway 29, Hobb said.
Once the pursuit moved into Lake County, officers with the California Highway Patrol and a deputy with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office joined the vehicle pursuit to assist, according to Hobbs.
Hobbs said the vehicle pursuit continued northbound on Highway 29, reaching speeds in excess of 110 miles per hour.
The pursuit continued into the city of Clearlake, traveling on numerous city streets in the area of the commonly referred to as the Village, Hobbs said.
Clearlake Police Sgt. Travis Lenz, who Hobbs said had responded to the area to assist, had parked his patrol vehicle off the north roadway edge of Lakeview Way.
As Mirabella turned onto Lakeview Way, he drove eastbound in the direction of Sgt. Lenz, Hobbs said. As Mirabella came closer, Hobbs said he intentionally swerved his vehicle at Lenz, nearly hitting him head-on.
Just before he hit Lenz, Mirabella swerved back into his lane of traffic and continued eastbound, Hobbs said.
Hobbs said that, a short time later, the pursuing officers from the outside agencies lost sight of Mirabella on Golf Avenue where it intersects with Palmer Avenue.
The Clearlake Police Department began checking the area where the vehicle was headed, Hobbs said.
Hobbs said Officer Jared Nixon located the vehicle near the 3400 block Peony Street, unoccupied and blocking the roadway.
Clearlake Police K9 Officer Travis Parson arrived at the vehicle and conducted a scent track of Mirabella using his canine partner, Bear. Hobbs said Bear led officers from Peony Street to Oregon Street and finally onto Toyon Street, at times going through vacant residential lots that had thick brush and trees.
After an approximately 1,100-foot canine track, officers reached three travel trailers which were concealed in the brush, Hobbs said. Officers made contact with one of the trailer owners, who said a subject who he did not know had run into his trailer five minutes prior to officers’ arrival.
After obtaining consent from the owner to enter the trailer, Officer Parson gave two separate canine announcements at the door of the trailer, telling Mirabella to exit the trailer or the police canine would be sent in and he would be bitten, Hobbs said.
Hobbs said Mirabella did not exit the trailer as he was told to do by Officer Parson, so Bear was deployed. The dog located Mirabella partially concealed under a blanket in the corner of the trailer.
After Bear apprehended Mirabella by his arm, Clearlake Police officers made entry and placed Mirabella into handcuffs after a brief struggle, according to Hobbs.
Mirabella was transported to Adventist Health Hospital Clear Lake to be treated for injuries he sustained as a result of the canine bite, Hobbs said.
After being medically cleared, Mirabella was transported to the Lake County Jail and booked on charges of assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer and resisting arrest. Hobbs said charges related to the vehicle pursuit will be filed by Calistoga Police Department through the Napa County District Attorney’s Office.
Hobbs said this was not Mirabella’s first vehicle pursuit in the city of Clearlake.
In July of 2015, Mirabella fled from Clearlake Police officers in a reported stolen vehicle for 27 miles prior to crashing into a tree and being arrested, Hobbs said.