A Palermo, California man was arrested last Monday after leading law enforcement on a high-speed pursuit through the heart of Susanville before colliding with two police vehicles and a telephone pole on Weatherlow Street.
According to details provided by Lassen County Sheriff’s Office Lieutenant Dave Woginrich, a LCSO Deputy initiated a traffic stop on a gold Honda Civic for a traffic violation on Highway 139 near Lassen College shortly before noon.
“The driver of the vehicle failed to yield to the deputy and quickly accelerated to about 90mph,” explains Woginrich. “The deputy pursued the vehicle as it drove at a high rate of speed southbound on Ash Street toward Main Street in Susanville.”
The vehicle turned right onto Main Street, still at a high rate of speed, driving through the stoplight at the intersection of Main Street and Alexander Avenue by entering the opposing lane of traffic.
The vehicle continued driving through stoplights at the intersections of Main Street and Grand Avenue and again at Main and Weatherlow Streets.
Turning right onto Union Street the driver nearly collided head-on with a vehicle stopped at the intersection of Main and Union.
Still failing to yield to the Deputy, the suspect turned right onto Nevada Street running the stop sign, and again failed to stop at the intersection of Weatherlow and Nevada where he struck the driver’s side rear bumper of an unmarked Susanville Police vehicle, which had its emergency lights and siren activated.
As the vehicle attempted to continue south on Weatherlow Street it collided with a marked Susanville Police patrol vehicle and subsequently struck a telephone pole and became disabled.
The driver, identified by the LCSO as 54-year old Palermo, California resident Glenn Russell, was taken into custody without incident.
“During a search of the vehicle,” said Woginrich, “deputies located a .50 caliber black powder rifle, .50 caliber ball rounds of ammunition and a pack of primers. In addition, suspected methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia were also located inside the vehicle.”
According to Woginrich, Russell is currently on CDCR Parole out of Butte County for attempted murder. He was booked into the Lassen County Jail on charges of Reckless Evading of a Peace Officer, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Parole Violation, Hit and Run with Property Damage, Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. His bail is set at $35,000.
“The Lassen County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the Susanville Police Department, California Highway Patrol and Cal-Fire Law Enforcement for their assistance in this incident.”
