A suspect in an armed robbery of marijuana in Brooktrails is being sought by the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office, while three others were arrested Friday after a police chase in Willits.
Deputies arrived at a house in the 23600 block of Primrose Drive at 1:24 a.m. Friday, where they were told by residents that three men in a burnt orange Jeep SUV had robbed them at gunpoint, forced them into a closet and stole their marijuana. The people who gave the report are Sally Ann Gurule, 64; Van Slagle, 39; and Justin Slagle, 44, according to the MCSO.
Deputies had passed an SUV that fit their description on the way to the house, coming onto Sherwood Road toward Willits.
After notifying Willits police, officers found the SUV and tried to stop it, and a car chase ensued. Several suspects left the SUV and started running on Center Valley Road near Bray Road, while two others in the SUV continued on and then stopped near South Lenore and Creekside Court in Willits. The two in the SUV then got out and fled.
One suspect, identified as Diontae Stephvon Wright, 24, of Split Rock, Ind., was quickly caught in someone’s backyard. Another, identified as Michael Deangelo Taylor, 24, of Split Rock, Ind., was found by Willits police in the 1000 block of Center Valley Road.
A third was found near Walker Road on Highway 101, who at first gave a fake name, but later was identified as Christopher Deuane Bradford, 24, of Indianapolis. Bradford had a felony warrant out for his arrest from Indiana on suspicion of possessing a stolen firearm. The warrant identified him as armed and dangerous.
One firearm and about 20 pounds of bud marijuana was inside the SUV, and deputies suspected there had been another firearm before they got there, according to the report.
The three men were arrested on suspicion of kidnapping, robbery and being armed while committing a felony. They were booked at county jail, all held under $275,000 bail.
A fourth suspect, identified as Hugo Mercado, 24, is believed to be involved and has yet to be found. Detectives are seeking an arrest warrant for Mercado.
Anyone with knowledge of this case is asked to call the MCSO Communications Center at 707-463-4086 or the Tip Line at 707-234-2100.
