Suspect Killed In Marin Crash While Fleeing CHP ID'd

MARIN COUNTY, CA — An assault and battery suspect who crashed and died Thursday in Greenbrae after fleeing from police in San Rafael has been identified as Matthew James Tasley, of Forest Knolls, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The CHP was responding to an unrelated incident at about 4:40 p.m. when officers spotted Tasley holding a tire iron in a San Rafael intersection, where shattered glass was on the ground, CHP Officer Patrick Roth said.

When Tasley saw the police, he fled in his Toyota Tundra, Roth said. The CHP chased the pickup truck northbound on Andersen Drive and onto southbound Highway 101. Officers followed him when he exited and raced down Sir Francis Drake Boulevard.

"According to witnesses, Tasley used the center median and sidewalk to evade the trailing CHP unit who now lost visual contact with Tasley," Roth said.

Tasley ran a red light at the intersection of Sir Francis Drake Boulevard and La Cuesta Drive, according to Roth. A pickup truck leaving the Bon Air Shopping Center then hit Tasley's truck.

"The force of the collision propelled Tasley's vehicle across a raised concrete island and onto the front lawn of the local Coldwell Banker," Roth said. "Although the CHP unit never witnessed the collision because of the distance he was behind, he saw smoke ahead and assumed a collision had occurred."

Tasley died at the scene, Roth said. The other driver suffered minor injuries and was released.

Roth said it took officers about seven hours to investigate the crash and clear the damaged vehicles from the roadway. San Rafael police is investigating the assault and battery case.