CLEARLAKE — Clearlake Police discontinued a vehicle pursuit in progress late Monday night when a report of a drive-by shooting came in around 10:53 p.m. It is unknown if the suspect vehicle involved in the shooting is connected to the vehicle that was being pursued when the report came in.
Clearlake Sgt. R. Joseph said both incidents remain under investigation.
According to Joseph, officers were dispatched to the 15800 block of 29th Avenue at approximately 10:40 p.m. following a report of threats and violation of a court order. The victim, whose identity was not released, reported that subject named Joshua Smith, 28, of Clearlake, drove past her home in violation of a court order and threatened her with a knife. She described the vehicle Smith was driving as a silver Honda.
Joseph said officers arrived in the area and began looking for the suspect vehicle. Smith is currently “Clearlake”s Most Wanted” fugitive because of outstanding felony warrants for his arrest. Joseph said he is also suspect in a recent residential burglary that occurred in Clearlake last week.
Joseph said a uniformed Clearlake Police officer located a similar vehicle to the vehicle Smith was allegedly seen driving. “The officer noticed the vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed away from the area,” he said. “The vehicle turned onto southbound Highway 53 from 18th Avenue and turned off its headlights while attempting to avoid the pursuing officer. Speeds reached approximately 100 mph and continued into Lower Lake.”
Joseph said a second Clearlake Police officer crashed his marked patrol car near the intersection of 18th and Phillips avenues during the pursuit. He said the injured officer was treated at St. Helena Hospital Clearlake and later released. The patrol car suffered major damage and Joseph said the crash is under investigation by the California Highway Patrol.
According to Joseph, the pursuing officer continued after the fleeing vehicle onto Seigler Canyon Road from Highway 29. He said a few minutes into the pursuit, at about 10:53 p.m., dispatched advised of a shooting that just occurred on the 16200 block of 31st Avenue. “The initial information was that multiple persons had been shot, with one person being shot in the head,” Joseph said. “Due to the seriousness of the crime, the pursuit was discontinued and the pursuing officer responded to the scene of the shooting.”
Joseph said that prior to arriving on scene dispatch stated the single shooting victim was transported to St. Helena Hospital Clearlake. A police sergeant responded to the hospital to find a 16-year-old boy suffering from a single gunshot wound to his upper head. “Details of the shooting are not being released at this time; however, the injury is not life-threatening and may be gang-related,” Joseph said. “It is believed that the shooting may be a ?drive-by shooting” and that the suspect(s) possibly fled in a vehicle after the shooting.
Joseph said that Lake County Sheriff”s Office deputies later located and recovered an abandoned vehicle on the 11700 block of Big Canyon Road. He said the abandoned vehicle is believed to be same vehicle that the officers pursued onto Seigler Canyon Road.
Clearlake Police Department is requesting that anyone with information on either of these incidents or any other crime, to please contact the police department at 994-8251. Callers may remain anonymous. The Clearlake Police Department is committed to providing a safe environment for all residents to enjoy, Joseph said.
