Traffic Stop Leads to High Speed Pursuit Through Town

An attempted traffic stop by a Susanville Police Officer led to a high speed vehicle pursuit through the streets of Susanville last Friday.

The Officer spotted the vehicle driving without headlights, at just after midnight, on Ash street near Bunyan Road.

At this point, according to the Police Department, a vehicle pursuit ensued with the suspect vehicle eventually coming to a stop in the Pat Murphy Little League field parking lot near River Street. 

The pursuit lasted about three minutes and traversed approximately 1.2 miles, with suspect vehicle speeds exceeding 70 mph. The driver and passenger of the vehicle fled on foot.

The passenger, identified by the department as 19 year-old Susanville resident Lexis Aryann-Jill Smith, was located hiding nearby and taken into custody. She was arrested for being under the influence of a controlled suspect and resisting an officer.

The driver of the vehicle, identified as 18 year-old Susanville resident Armando Lucatero, was able to evade officers that night.

On March 14th the Susanville Police Department received a tip on the whereabouts of Lucatero. Acting on this tip, officers responded to a residence on Bangham Lane in the Johnstonville area and arrested Lucatero without incident.

Lucatero was subsequently booked into the Lassen County Jail and charged with felony evading an officer, and driving without a driver’s license.

The case has been referred to the Lassen County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.