16-Mile Sonoma County Pursuit Ends With Crash Into Travel Trailer

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — A 16-mile pursuit Sunday night ended when the suspects crashed into a travel trailer in Sebastopol, the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office said.

Around 9 p.m. Sunday, a deputy tried to pull over the driver of a car on suspicion of speeding, running a red light and driving with a non-functioning brake light.

The driver, later identified as Matthew Davis, 46, of Hayward, initially pulled into a gas station on East Todd Road in Santa Rosa but sped up and started a pursuit onto northbound U.S. Highway 101, the sheriff's office said.

The pursuit continued to the Hearn Avenue off-ramp, then west on Hearn, south on Stony Point Road, and west on state Highway 116 toward Sebastopol.

According to the sheriff's office, Davis drove in the opposite lane multiple times, ran another red light, nearly hit a patrol car with a deputy trying to set up spike strips, and reached speeds of approximately 110 mph.

When deputies suddenly encountered a fog bank, the chase became too dangerous because of the high speeds so they ended the pursuit on SR-116 near Bloomfield Road.

Deputies kept driving toward Sebastopol, where the fog had lifted and they saw a Sebastopol police officer pursuing Davis within city limits.

According to the sheriff's office, Davis continued to speed, ran another red light, and would not pull over for the Sebastopol officer. At the intersection of Johnson Street and Eddie Lane, Davis ultimately lost control of the car and crashed into an occupied, parked travel trailer.

Davis was placed under arrest.

The passenger, 39-year-old homeless man Jeremy Jurek, tried to walk away from the scene but was also arrested, the sheriff's office said.

There were two people in the travel trailer and they were not injured.

Davis and Jurek were treated at a local hospital, then booked into the Sonoma County jail.

"Deputies found suspected fentanyl, oxycodone, methamphetamine, heroin, packaging material and a scale, and over $1,500 in cash in the car," the sheriff's office said. "They also found a frightened, unrestrained dog that was given to Animal Control."

Jurek was booked on a misdemeanor warrant from Lake County and was being held on $5,000 bail.

Davis was booked on suspicion of possession of narcotics for sale, transporting narcotics for sale, possession of a controlled substance for sale, transporting a controlled substance, two counts of evading a peace officer, and animal cruelty — all felony charges.

Davis has a history of drug convictions throughout the Bay Area and was being held without bail with a local judge’s approval, the sheriff's office said Monday.