CLEARLAKE OAKS >> An Antioch man suspected of a series of bank robberies in Northern California was arrested Sunday morning in Clearlake Oaks.
Wesley Allen Krohn reportedly told others that he would “shoot it out” if he was ever contacted by law enforcement. He then led officers on a high speed chase before a spike strip flattened the tires on his vehicle.
The incident began around 8 a.m. Sunday when Clearlake Police notified the Lake County Sheriff’s Office that the 31-year-old suspect had been reported at a Glenhaven residence. Deputies and officers from the CPD deployed to an area within close proximity to the home.
According to LCSO Lt. Steve Brooks, a vehicle was observed leaving the area of the address and started heading eastbound on Highway 20. A Sheriff’s Deputy pulled in behind the suspect vehicle and confirmed it was registered to Krohn. The suspect vehicle turned into the parking lot of a business and then left the business heading westbound on Highway 20 at a high rate of speed.
Both deputies and Clearlake Police Officers attempted to overtake the suspect vehicle which was traveling at approximately 80 miles per hour. As they approached Highway 20 and Foothill, the deputy noticed that Krohn was several hundred yards ahead, was still accelerating and starting to pull away from the two pursuing law enforcement vehicles.
A deputy, who had taken a position at Lakeview Drive and Highway 20, deployed his spike strip as Krohn’s vehicle approached. The spike strip was successful in deflating Krohn’s tires.
Krohn brought the vehicle to a stop in the middle of Highway 20 near Pingree Road. He left the vehicle and started running southbound towards the shore of Clear Lake. The deputy exited his vehicle and ordered Krohn to get down on the ground with his hands extended to his side. Brooks reported that the deputy noticed Krohn reach for a semiautomatic pistol from the area of his waistband and throw it to the ground.
He was then taken into custody without further incident.
The Clearlake Police Department later took custody of Krohn and transported him to their office for further investigation. Krohn was later transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility, where he was booked on a federal no bail warrant and faces numerous local charges.
Sheriff Brian Martin praised deputies and dispatchers as well as the officers from Clearlake Police Department who “worked together to ensure this dangerous criminal was taken into custody.”
