Clearlake >> A felon and alleged heroin dealer was arrested after crashing his motorcycle during a reported attempt to evade officers. Following a chase over several miles at high speeds, authorities arrested Timothy Tolbert, a resident of Kelseyville.
The incident began with a simple attempt at a traffice stop. Clearlake Sgt. Travis Lenz said in a statement he noticed a Honda CBR street bike motorcycle on Lakeshore Drive during the hours of darkness without the front head light illuminated Tuesday just before 6 p.m.
As Lenz positioned his patrol vehicle behind the motorcycle to initiate a traffic enforcement stop, the driver reportedly moved onto the south shoulder of Lakeshore Drive, passing two vehicles that were waiting at the stop light at the intersection of Old Highway 53. As the driver reached the intersection, the stop light turned green and the motorcycle proceeded through the intersection heading eastbound and accelerating to a high rate of speed, according to Lenz.
He activated his patrol vehicle’s emergency lights and siren, yet the motorcycle failed to yield, so Lenz pursued the motorcycle to the intersection of Highway 53, still at a high rate of speed.
The suspect turned right onto Highway 53 heading southbound, then proceeded southbound on Highway 53 until he reached the intersection of Highway 29. At this point, Lenz was several hundred feet behind the motorcycle.
Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Walter White, who was at the intersection, maneuvered behind the suspect vehicle at this time. The suspect completed a right turn onto Highway 29 and proceeded northbound, again reportedly at a high rate speed. The suspect turned off Highway 29 onto Point Lakeview Road. Due to the abrupt turn the suspect made onto Point Lakeview Road, White had to proceed past Point Lakeview and turn around to safely complete the turn.
Lenz then got behind the suspect vehicle once again. After traveling a few hundred yards, the suspect lost control of his motorcycle, veered off the road and crashed into a telephone pole guide wire prior to coming to a stop, according to reports.
Lenz and White were able to detain the suspect at that time, identified Tolbert. Due to injuries sustained as a result of the crash, Tolbert was transported via air ambulance out of county for medical treatment.
The California Highway Patrol responded to the scene and completed the traffic collision investigation.
Tolbert was confirmed to be on felony probation out of Tehama County for drug related charges. This case will be sent to the Lake County District Attorney’s Office for complaint on potential charges which include evading a police officer while driving in wanton willful disregard for public safety, evading a police officer while traveling in the opposing lane of traffic, and driving on suspended license.
Wednesday at about 11:20 a.m., the Clearlake Police Department (CPD) Investigations Unit responded to the 9300 block of Buffalo Court in Kelseyville, to conduct a probation search at Tolbert’s residence.
During the search, detectives contacted Tolbert’s girlfriend, 41-year-old Amy Gregor, who resides at his address.
Detectives reportedly found what they consider to be a large amount of heroin packaged for the apparent purpose of sales, a vehicle which had been reported stolen out of the CPD two days prior, pepper spray, 45-caliber ammunition, and a “billy club” style baton.
Gregor is a convicted felon and was placed under arrest on charges of possession of narcotics for the purposes of sale, possession of stolen property, possession of tear gas by a prohibited person, possession of ammunition by a prohibited person and possession of a billy club. Gregor was transported to and booked into the Lake County jail. All listed charges will additionally be sent to the Lake County D.A.’s Office for complaint on Tolbert, due to the fact he is still hospitalized.
