A 21.5 mile pursuit involving a vehicle stolen from the Safeway parking lot ended near Herlong late Thursday afternoon, after three CHP units and three Lassen County Sheriff’s Deputies chased the suspect along Highway 395 south of Susanville.
The pursuit began at around 6:30p.m. when a man identified by the CHP as 32 year-old Susanville resident Jason Olson was observed taking a vehicle from the grocery store parking lot at the east end of town. The witness followed the vehicle and called 911.
Shortly after, according to the CHP report, two LCSO deputies located the vehicle on Johnstonville Road at Center Road. The deputies activated their emergency lights and sirens and a pursuit began.
Olson continued on Johnstonville Road and then out onto Highway 395 where he ran a stop sign and red light, turning southbound on the highway.
South of Bass Hill, the CHP took over the pursuit. Olson was able to avoid two separate spike strips deployed by officers. A roadblock was established a short distance down the highway with one CHP sergeant and one LCSO deputy positioning their vehicles on opposite sides of the road with a spike strip in the middle. Olson eventually came to a stop north of County Road A-25 where he was arrested without incident.
Four hypodermic needles were located inside the vehicle by CHP officers and a review of the CHP in-car video showed Olson swallowing a white substance that was concealed in his mouth. After being taken into custody Olson was transported to Banner Lassen Medical Center for treatment.
Olson is being held on $80,000 bail.
Total time of the chase was 20 minutes and 40 seconds.
