LOWER LAKE, Calif. – Authorities have arrested two people and are seeking two others they say were involved in an early Thursday morning home invasion robbery that resulted in a fatal crash while deputies were responding to the scene.

James Robert Conaster, 38, of Clearlake and 20-year-old Lauren Astor Faumuina of Middletown were arrested for the home invasion robbery, with two more people being sought, according to Lt. Steve Brooks.

It was while pursuing the suspects that a sheriff's deputy was involved in a crash on Highway 29 that killed 26-year-old Gabriela Rivas Garcia of Clearlake, Brooks said.

Brooks said that at approximately 6:05 a.m. Thursday deputies were dispatched to a residence in the 9800 block of Rocky Creek Road in Lower Lake for a reported home invasion robbery.

He said it was the same address where the Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force had served a search warrant on Sept. 13, seizing 950 marijuana plants and four grams of methamphetamine, and arresting four people.

On Thursday morning it was reported that four suspects with firearms entered the residence, where they beat, robbed and shot at the victim several times, Brooks said. As deputies were responding, Central Dispatch relayed information that the armed suspects had left the residence and were driving a brown pickup towards Morgan Valley Road.

One of the responding deputies located the suspect vehicle in the area of Oak Haven and Morgan Valley Road and initiated a pursuit, Brooks said.

The deputy reported that the suspect vehicle was traveling northbound on Morgan Valley Road at a high rate of speed, towards Lower Lake. The suspect vehicle turned northbound on Highway 53 towards Clearlake, nearly causing a traffic collision at the intersection, according to Brooks.

He said the suspect vehicle continued northbound on Highway 53 and ran the signal light at Dam Road before turning onto 18th Avenue and intentionally driving off the road, where the deputy could not follow in his vehicle.

Brooks said the suspects reportedly ran from the vehicle as deputies and officers from the Clearlake Police Department set up a perimeter. A short time later Conaster and Faumuina were taken into custody.

An extensive ground search was conducted by personnel from the Clearlake Police Department and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. Brooks said two additional suspects are still outstanding and actively being sought by the Sheriff’s Major Crimes Unit and narcotics detectives.

He said sheriff’s detectives are currently in the process of collecting evidence and conducting follow up on all leads.

As the deputy was pursuing the suspect vehicle on Morgan Valley Road, a second deputy was responding to assist, Brooks said.

The second deputy was traveling southbound on Highway 29 in the area of Manning Flat, which Brooks said is located between Kits Corner and Diener Drive.

As the deputy approached a curve in the highway approximately half a mile north of Diener Drive, he was involved in a head on collision that killed Garcia, who was the solo occupant of the vehicle, Brooks said.

Brooks said the deputy suffered from multiple serious injuries and was transported by air ambulance to a trauma center outside Lake County.

The vehicle crash is being investigated by the California Highway Patrol Multidisciplinary Accident Investigation Team and the Lake County District Attorney's Office, Brooks said.

Caltrans reported that Highway 29 near the crash scene was still closed shortly after 6:30 p.m. The highway was closed while the investigation was under way.

Conaster was arrested for robbery, being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, evading a peace officer with disregard for the safety of others, evading a peace officer and causing serious injury, committing a felony while armed with a firearm, criminal threats and possession of a controlled substance, according to Brooks.

He said Faumuina was arrested for robbery, evading a peace officer with disregard for the safety of others, evading a peace officer and causing serious injury, committing a felony while armed with a firearm and criminal threats.

They were both transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked.

This investigation is ongoing and anyone who may have information regarding this case or the identity of the two outstanding suspects is encouraged to contact the Lake County Sheriff’s Office at 707-263-2690.