A Washington resident was arrested Monday after a string of incidents that included two high-speed pursuits and a scuffle with K9 Unit Brinks before the suspect barricaded himself in his vehicle and set a blanket on fire.
According to details released by the office today, Lassen County Sheriff’s Dispatch Center began receiving multiple 911 calls shortly after 3:00p.m., Monday reporting that a reckless driver was traveling southbound on Highway 395, near the Doyle Ranch.
“Deputies located the suspect vehicle,” explains LCSO Sergeant Mike Carney in the report, “a 2004 Chrysler Crossfire, in the area of US Highway 395, near the Bird Flat Ranch.”
Deputies estimated that the vehicle passed by them in the southbound direction at approximately 100mph and they activated their overhead emergency lights and siren in an attempt to conduct an enforcement stop.
“The vehicle failed to yield and continued southbound on US Highway 395, where a vehicle pursuit ensued,” said Carney.
“The vehicle forced northbound traffic onto the shoulder as he attempted to evade pursuing Deputies, at speeds of 110mph.”
At this point, because of the risk to public safety, the pursuit was terminated in the area of US Highway 395 at Doyle Loop.
Less than an hour later Dispatch received a report that the same vehicle was traveling northbound on 395 near the Agricultural Station. When Deputies located the vehicle a second time it was traveling northbound on US Highway 395, near the area of Red Rock Road at approximately 100mph.
Deputies again activated their overhead emergency lights and siren and a second pursuit ensued, during which the suspect vehicle nearly caused multiple collisions.
“The vehicle started to slow to about 30mph and intentionally swerved into the southbound lane,” said Carney. “The vehicle eventually came to a stop in southbound lane in the area of US Highway 395, near Hall Road. Traffic was blocked in both directions.”
Additional Deputies including K9 Brinks and his handler arrived on scene to assist. Deputies gave several verbal commands to the driver to exit the vehicle using a public address system but the commands were ignored.
“After several attempts to gain voluntary compliance, the driver eventually exited the vehicle and then immediately returned to the inside of the vehicle. The driver exited the vehicle a second time and ignored the Deputies commands to lay prone on the ground.”
At this point K9 Brinks was deployed to apprehend the driver, biting him on the right leg.
According to Sergeant Carney the driver braced himself against the doorway of the vehicle and kicked K9 Brinks at least 3 times. The driver was then able to get K9 Brinks off his leg and return to the inside of his vehicle.
The driver, identified by the Sheriff’s Office as 23-year old Burien, Washington resident  Pedro Antonio Rivera-Morinero, began throwing things inside the vehicle and a short time later smoke filled the passenger compartment.
Rivera-Morinero exited the vehicle and was taken into custody without further incident. It was later determined that, for reasons unknown, the driver lit a blanket on fire inside his vehicle.
He was booked into the Lassen County Jail on charges which included Evading a Peace Officer with willful disregard to public safety; Driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol; Unlicensed Driver; Resisting Arrest; Willfully harm a police dog; Possession of drug paraphernalia.
Bail was set at $30,000.
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