- Lake County News reports
Clearlake man arrested after leading police on Wednesday chase
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Police have arrested a Clearlake man after he led officers on a high speed chase through the city on Wednesday afternoon, with the suspect allegedly hitting several vehicles along the way.
John Garoutte, 31, was arrested for felony evading, driving under the influence of a controlled substance, vehicle hit and run, obstruction and felony probation violation, according to Sgt. Rodd Joseph.
Just after 2:30 p.m. Wednesday Clearlake Police Officer Aaron Winslow responded to a report of an erratic suspicious subject at Ray’s Food Place, located at 15930 Dam Road, Joseph said.
The caller reported that a male subject was banging on the window of a parked light-colored SUV and also was seen lying in the parking lot, Joseph said.
Joseph said the caller believed that the subject was possibly under the influence of alcohol or drugs. When the officer arrived in the parking lot, several pedestrians pointed to a light green Ford Escape which was beginning to drive away. The officer believed that the driver of the Ford Escape was the subject the caller had reported at Ray's Food Place.
The officer watched the vehicle speed out of the parking lot in a dangerous and high speed manner. Because of the driving observations witnessed by the officer coupled with the details in the initial call, Winslow followed behind the Ford and attempted to conduct a traffic stop, Joseph said.
As soon as Winslow activated his overhead emergency lights, the vehicle fled at a high rate of speed away from Ray’s Food Place and ran a stop sign, Joseph said.
The vehicle struck another vehicle being driven near the intersection of Dam Road and Dam Road Extension before crossing over Highway 53 onto northbound Old Highway 53, running a red light and almost causing a collision, according to Joseph.
Winslow continued to pursue the fleeing vehicle north on Old Highway 53. Joseph said the suspect vehicle began crossing over the double yellow lines on Old Highway 53 and into the oncoming lane to pass slower moving vehicles and to try and maintain control due to the high speeds.
Several times during the pursuit, the suspect vehicle side-swiped other vehicles being driven on the roadway. Joseph said Garoutte was driving in a willful and wanton disregard for the safety of persons and other vehicles on the roadway.
Garoutte's vehicle finally came to a stop and pulled over in the 6000 block of Old Highway 53, Joseph said. As Winslow pulled up to the now-stopped suspect vehicle, Garoutte got out and began running east through residential yards towards Crawford Avenue.
Joseph said Winslow pulled his patrol car into the yard to attempt to stop the fleeing suspect, however his patrol car became disabled due to the terrain.
Garoutte, meanwhile, managed to jump over a fence but then ran back onto Old Highway 53. Joseph said witnesses observed Garoutte run into the Cedar Village Apartment complex, located at the intersection of Ridgeview Drive and Old Highway 53.
As other officers were arriving to assist in Garoutte's capture, he fled back out onto Old Highway 53 and began running east towards Crawford Avenue. Joseph said other officers who had arrived in the area managed to corner Garoutte in a parking lot at the corner of Crawford Avenue and Old Highway 53, where he was safely taken into custody.
At that point they identified Garoutte, who had moved to Clearlake only days earlier from Lower Lake. Garoutte was found to be on formal felony probation out of Lake County, Joseph said.
Joseph said officers conducted an extensive search for the several vehicles and drivers who had been struck by Garoutte’s vehicle during the pursuit. All had since left the scene.
He said one driver later contacted the police department to report being one of the vehicles struck near the intersection of Dam Road and Dam Road Extension. The other vehicles which had been struck along Old Highway 53 have not been identified or located.
During his arrest, Garoutte was exhibiting symptoms of recent drug use and admitted to being under the influence of a central nervous system stimulant. Joseph said Garoutte was transported to St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake for medical treatment and the vehicle he had been driving was towed from the scene.
Clearlake Police officers and Lake County Probation officers later conducted a probation search of Garoutte’s residence, Joseph said.
Inside they located a small amount of suspected methamphetamine and several suspected methamphetamine pipes.
Garoutte's booking at the Lake County Jail on the listed charges was pending on Wednesday evening.
The Clearlake Police Department thanked the witness who called police to report Garoutte’s suspicious activity.
Anyone with information on this incident is urged to contact Officer Aaron Winslow at 707-994-8251. Callers should press No. 1 when prompted and then the extension No. 503. Callers may remain anonymous.