- Lake County News reports
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Lakeport man arrested following 40-minute vehicle pursuit Sunday night
LAKEPORT, Calif. – A Lakeport man was arrested Sunday night following a lengthy vehicle pursuit with law enforcement.
Jose Guadalupe Aguilar, 22, was arrested for felony evading police with disregard for public safety, a parole violation, hit and run and driving on a suspended license recklessly following the pursuit, which lasted 40 minutes and traveled more than 28 miles, according to Lakeport Police Sgt. Michael Sobieraj.
Just after 9 p.m. Sunday a Lakeport Police officer noticed Aguilar – whom he knows from previous contacts – driving a Nissan Pathfinder in the area of the 1500 block of North Main Street, Sobieraj said.
Sobieraj said the officer knew that Aguilar had a suspended driver’s license and was on active California Department of Corrections Parole. The officer tried to contact Aguilar, who fled.
The officer initiated a pursuit in Lakeport with Lake County Sheriff’s Office responding to assist. Aguilar began driving erratically, driving through stop signs, driving on the wrong side of the road and driving at speeds in excess of 60 miles per hour on Main Street. The streets were wet and slick due to the rain, Sobieraj said.
Aguilar continued driving, making his way to Kelseyville where he reached speeds of more than 90 miles per hour, at times turning off all his vehicle’s lighting, according to Sobieraj.
While on Main Street in Kelseyville, Aguilar drove onto the embankment of Kelseyville High School, hitting two steel poles and nearly rolling his vehicle over, Sobieraj said.
Sobieraj said the California Highway Patrol joined the pursuit in an attempt to lay down spike strips which Aguilar managed to avoid by driving on side streets.
At Soda Bay Road and Big Valley Road, a Lakeport Police officer got in front of Aguilar to slow him down and warn oncoming traffic of his driving into oncoming traffic. At Soda Bay Road and Hwy 175, Sobieraj said Aguilar got onto Highway 29 northbound.
Sobieraj said Aguilar then headed back north towards Lakeport where he again reached speeds of more than 90 miles per hour on Highway 29.
Aguilar got off the highway on the 11th Street exit, and a Lakeport Police officer attempted to ram Aguilar in an attempt to stop him from getting back into town but due to slick roads was unsuccessful, Sobieraj said.
Aguilar then again drove through town, eventually pulling into the Willow Point Trailer Resort, located at 1 First St., where Sobieraj said he was arrested.
Aguilar has prior arrests and state prison time for assault with a deadly weapon, possession of controlled substance for sale and battery with serious bodily injury, police reported.
Aguilar remains in the Lake County Jail on a no bail charge, Sobieraj said.