David Andrew Mello, 46, was arrested on felony charges of evading a peace officer and assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer, as well as two misdemeanor counts of trespass and misdemeanor charge of resisting arrest, according to Capt. James Bauman of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.
On Wednesday at about 8:30 a.m., sheriff's deputies responded to the Harbin Hot Springs Resort on Big Canyon Road in Middletown to investigate a reported trespass, Bauman said.
A subject, later identified as Mello, had been staying at the resort but had refused to leave the property after being refunded his money and asked by resort staff to leave. Bauman said it also had been reported that Mello was unstable, was possibly under the influence of something and was ignoring the security personnel trying to get him off the property.
While searching the resort grounds, deputies located Mello seated in his white Chevy sedan near the Harbin Domes and attempted to detain him for the trespass. After repeatedly refusing to exit the car at the two deputies’ request, Mello attempted to put the car in gear to flee the detention, Bauman said.
One deputy deployed his pepper spray and the other deputy deployed his Taser on Mello to stop his attempt to flee but Mello managed to drive off with the Taser darts still embedded in his arm, according to Bauman's report.
Deputies attempted to pursue Mello but lost him on the Harbin property and a subsequent hour and a half search of the Middletown area had negative results, Bauman said.
While later searching the area of Mello’s home in Clearlake Oaks, deputies spotted Mello driving toward their location but he turned and went the other way. Bauman said deputies attempted a traffic stop on Lake View near Oak Grove but Mello ignored their lights and sirens and continued onto Highway 20, heading westbound.
Bauman said deputies pursued Mello through Clearlake Oaks as he turned back into the residential area and then back to Highway 20 where he then proceeded eastbound.
As the pursuit continued from Highway 20 onto Highway 53 toward the city of Clearlake, Clearlake Police units were summoned to set up spike strips on Highway 53 at Olympic Drive to disable Mello's vehicle. Bauman said Mello avoided the spike strips and deputies continued to pursue him into Lower Lake where attempts to box him in failed and he turned east on to Main Street.
As deputies pursued Mello through residential Lower Lake, Clearlake Police attempted to block him from re-entering Highway 53 from Jessie Street but he avoided their roadblock and continued north again on Highway 53, Bauman said.
As the pursuit continued up Highway 53 at speeds reaching 90 miles per hour, Mello swerved toward deputies attempting to block his path before turning westbound again on Highway 20 from Highway 53. Bauman said further attempts to box Mello in as deputies pursued his westbound on Highway 20 failed as he continually swerved towards deputies’ vehicles and continued leading them into Clearlake Oaks again.
Bauman said deputies continued their attempts to force Mello from the roadway as they entered town again but he continued to evade them and turned into the residential area again on Spring Street.
Mello eventually turned onto a deadend street near the Cal Fire Station and in trying to turn around, struck an oak tree. Bauman said Mello fled from his vehicle and led pursuing deputies on a foot chase for about 50 yards until one deputy closed in on him and deployed his Taser. Mello fell to the ground and was then taken into custody at approximately 12:30 p.m.
Bauman said Mello was transported and booked at the Lake County Jail, where he remained in custody late Wednesday with bail set at $25,000.
Neither Mello nor any of the deputies involved in the pursuit were injured and there was only some minor damage to one of the patrol vehicles from the attempts to get him off the roadway as they concluded the pursuit, Bauman said.
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