Car Stopped for Speeding Turned Into Manhunt in Petaluma

A Lake County man who was driving a car reported stolen in Utah was arrested near Petaluma on Tuesday night, a California Highway Patrol officer said.

A CHP officer stopped the car, a 2003 Acura MDX, that was driving 85 mph on southbound U.S. Highway 101 near Pepper Road in unincorporated Sonoma County around 11 p.m., CHP Officer Jon Sloat said.

A passenger in the Acura ran away toward Stony Point Road and ignored the officer’s order to stop while the officer held the driver, Robert Sanders, 24, of Lakeport, at gunpoint and handcuffed him, Sloat said.

Sanders said he met the passenger “Garrett” in Ukiah and agreed to drive Garrett’s Acura to San Francisco to teach him how to be a successful panhandler, Sloat said.

Sanders told the CHP officer Garrett told him he was too high on methamphetamine to drive, according to Sloat.

The CHP determined the Acura was reported stolen Nov. 24 in Salt Lake City, and Sanders was then arrested on suspicion of vehicle theft, possession of stolen property and driving while his license was suspended, Sloat said.

CHP officers searched the area and found a jacket with a Utah driver’s license belonging to Garrett Skuster, 19, of Salt Lake City, near a fence between Highway 101 and Stony Point Road, Sloat said.

A CHP helicopter crew and additional CHP officers searched until 1:30 a.m. Wednesday for Skuster, who was wanted in Utah for vehicle theft, Sloat said.

Sloat said the CHP will file a complaint against Skuster, who remains at large, for vehicle theft, possession of stolen property and failure to comply with a lawful order.

--Bay City News Service, photo via Shutterstock