People v. Lemus CA3

FACTS AND HISTORY OF THE PROCEEDINGS

On the evening of May 18, 2021, a sergeant with the Butte County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call about a suspicious vehicle in a trailer park. He parked his patrol car with the lights off by the entrance and waited for backup. While waiting, the sergeant saw a vehicle driven by defendant matching the description of the suspicious vehicle speed out of the park. As the vehicle turned, its rear tires spun and smoked, and the back end swung into the oncoming lane. The sergeant turned on his headlights and followed five to six vehicle lengths behind, so that the driver of the vehicle would not identify him as a police officer. The sergeant radioed the vehicle’s position. The sergeant saw the vehicle go around a car and through a four-way stop without stopping and then turn. He followed and saw the vehicle make another turn, crossing into the oncoming lane in the process. The vehicle then pulled over to the right and slowed down. The sergeant activated the patrol car’s flashing lights to make a traffic stop, but the vehicle veered back onto the road and took off. When the vehicle made another turn, the sergeant activated his siren. The…