LAKE COUNTY — Authorities are searching for two women who led police on a high-speed chase in a stolen white Dodge Ram pickup through northern and downtown Lakeport Tuesday night, according to the California Highway Patrol.
“I have some really, really good leads,” CHP officer Mark Crutcher said late Tuesday night. More than 200 credit cards and California drivers” license cards were found in the truck, according to CHP officer Adam Garcia. Authorities also found a red, braided wig and clothing that fits a small-framed woman in the back seat.
“It”s probably some kind of identity theft. They were doing some traveling,” Crutcher said.
Crutcher spotted the truck”s driver speeding at approximately 9:30 p.m. as it was headed south on Highway 29 near Argonaut Road. After Crutcher signaled the driver to pull over, the truck did a U-turn and ignored Crutcher”s lights and sirens.
The truck sped north at speeds greater than 100 mph as it took the Park Way off-ramp and turned south on Lakeshore Drive, according to Crutcher. The Lake County Sheriff”s Department and Lakeport Police joined in the chase as it continued at slower speeds through downtown Lakeport via 11th, 20th, Hartley, 16th, Main and Martin streets until the truck nearly hit a tree at the car wash on the corner of Martin and Forbes streets.
The women left the stolen truck and ran across Forbes Street, through the back yard of a residence and into the Lake County Fairgrounds, according to Crutcher. A perimeter was set up and officers stayed at the scene until approximately 11 p.m., according to Crutcher, but the women were not found.
The two women in the truck are described as being white and in their early twenties. Crutcher said it was unknown Tuesday night whether or not the women were armed.
Crutcher said the stolen truck was registered out of Vallejo. Items thrown out the truck”s window during the chase were not found, Garcia confirmed Wednesday. The stolen truck was fingerprinted and searched for evidence, and was released to the owner Wednesday.
Contact Tiffany Revelle at trevelle@record-bee.com.
