People v. Likens CA3

FACTS AND PROCEEDINGS

About 6:00 p.m. on April 13, 2013 in Linda, California, Deputy Sheriff Henry Abe saw a Honda Prelude that recently had been reported stolen from Yuba City. Abe followed the Honda and confirmed with the dispatcher that the vehicle was stolen. At one point, Abe was in his patrol car behind the Honda at a light. When the light turned green, the Honda turned left in front of Deputy Sean Moore’s patrol car. Moore saw the face of the driver of the stolen car for 10 to 30 seconds and described the driver as a white male adult between 20 and 30 years of age, with a mustache and dark hair, wearing a white baseball cap turned backwards. Moore identified defendant as the driver. After defendant turned left, Abe followed him and turned on his overhead lights. Defendant did not yield and Abe then turned on his siren. Defendant accelerated and lost traction, sliding between lanes. Both deputies pursued defendant who violated the speed law (65 in a 35-mile-per-hour zone) and crossed over a double yellow line into oncoming traffic. Defendant eventually turned onto Shad Road which led to a levee. Defendant turned onto a dirt road along the levee, causing a lot of dust which…