CLEARLAKE ? The attentiveness of a Clearlake Police officer ultimately led to arrest and recovery of stolen items Wednesday morning. The incident included a high-speed pursuit through residential neighborhoods in Clearlake.
Thomas Lennon, 50, was taken into custody and booked into Lake County Jail for burglary, possession of stolen property, assault on a police officer with a vehicle and evading.
According to Clearlake Police Sgt. Tim Celli, at approximately 5:39 a.m. Officer Ryan Peterson was on routine patrol when he came across a vehicle parked suspiciously in the roadway in front of the ATT Company on Old Highway 53. When Peterson attempted to stop the vehicle for a traffic violation the driver allegedly led officers on a high-speed pursuit. “The driver of the vehicle led officers on a high-speed pursuit for approximately three miles, through residential neighborhoods and front yards at dangerous speeds,” Celli said. “At one point during the high-speed chase, the suspect swerved at an officer attempting to cause a collision. The officer had to make an evasive maneuver to avoid a head-on collision with the suspect.”
Celli said due to high speeds and reckless driving, officers lost sight of the vehicle but located it approximately five minutes later in a vacant lot near Sonoma Avenue and Moose Trail. The vehicle was discovered to be abandoned. Officers checked the area but were initially unable to locate the suspect, Celli said.
Search of the vehicle allegedly resulted in the discovery of tools and equipment belonging to ATT. “A subsequent burglary investigation was initiated and the items were discovered to have taken in the burglary,” Celli said. “A short time later, a citizen called and reported to police there was a man in her yard near where the vehicle was left abandoned.”
Celli said officers arrived on scene moments later and located the man identified as Lennon, who Celli said has ties to Clearlake and San Francisco. Lennon was taken into custody and identified as the suspect who led officers on the high-speed chase.
