People v. Schlapkohl CA1/1

I.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL

BACKGROUND

On December 16, 2019, a Mendocino County Sheriff’s deputy on patrol in Calpella noticed a car with its front bumper partially detached and its “front license plate light” missing.2 After the deputy activated his emergency lights and attempted to stop the car, the car accelerated, leading him on a chase that lasted over 10 minutes and reached speeds of over 115 miles per hour. The car ultimately lost control during a turn and came to rest facing the wrong way on the street. When contacted, the driver, Schlapkohl, admitted that she knew the deputy was a law enforcement officer and was trying to stop her, but she told him that she “thought [he] was an officer who[m] she had a problem with and didn’t want to stop.” Based on these actions, she was charged in case no. SCUK CRCR 2019-33723-1 with a felony count of reckless driving while evading a peace officer (the evading case).3 In an unrelated incident, early on the morning of February 21, 2020, Schlapkohl’s boyfriend woke up to discover that a dog mattress on the front porch of his Willits home was on fire. He and Schlapkohl had fought the previous evening, and she and his truck were gone.…