CLEARLAKE >> A man linked to two recent and separate police vehicle pursuits was detained by Clearlake Police Department (CPD) K9 Dex under an overturned boat Wednesday after a chase involving several officers.
CPD officer Joseph Myers spotted transient Joshua Wertz, 30, carrying a backpack in the 16000 block of 34th Avenue at about 8:30 a.m. Wertz then went inside a residence, who he recognized and believed had a felony warrant for his arrest, according to a report by CPD Sgt. Rodd Joseph. Wertz was also allegedly involved in two car chases where he escaped both times and in one incident, reportedly backed into a CPD patrol car causing damage. Furthermore, Wertz also had two confirmed felony warrants for his arrest related to evading police.
Wertz went inside a residence and Myers followed, at which point Wertz reportedly ran out of the back of the home, Joseph stated.
Officers reportedly chased Wertz for several blocks. He was chased over fences and through backyards to the area of 40th Avenue and Irving Avenue, where officers lost sight of him, Joseph stated. Officers were able to establish a perimeter around the area where Wertz was last seen with the help of the Lake County Probation Department and the Lake County Sheriff”s Office.
Because Wertz had felony warrants for his arrest, has a history of evading capture, was climbing in and through several residential yards and was now hiding, officers decided to deploy Dex.
CPD Travis Lenz and his K9 partner Dex soon arrived and began systematically searching the area within the established perimeter, Joseph stated. This took some time due to the fairly large geographical area.
More than two hours after he was first spotted, Dex located Wertz under an overturned aluminum boat in the 15900 block of 39th Avenue. Lenz gave Wertz several commands to surrender or the K9 would be deployed. After Wertz” continued refusal to comply with officers and not knowing if Wertz was armed with a weapon, Lenz deployed Dex, Joseph stated.
Dex apprehended Wertz by his left forearm. Even with the K9 bite, Wertz allegedly still refused to initially comply with officers and officers still struggled with him before finally taking him into custody.
Wertz backpack was found in close proximity. Inside Wertz” backpack officers reportedly found a small amount of suspected methamphetamine, some marijuana and drug paraphernalia which Wertz was additionally charged with. Wertz was transported to Saint Helena Hospital, Clear Lake for medical clearance and after being treated, was booked into the Lake County Hill Road Correctional.
Contrary to some reports of shots being fired, there was a single backfire from a small motorcycle when this chase first started near 36th Avenue. No shots were fired during the incident.
