Deputies not giving up the chase, as suspects keep on running
Deputies not giving up the chase, as suspects keep on running
By: Carin Enovijas
Description: Local high-speed chase
Topics:
Posted by editor Tue Nov 30, 1999 00:00:00 PST
Viewed 1209 times
1 response 4 comments Sheriff’s deputies have been kept on the run after suspects have initiated four separate chases over the period of one week.
The week-long marathon began May 18 when deputies Fred Wheeler, Todd Newell and Mark Cerull identified a stolen vehicle parked near the intersection of Pauley and D Streets at approximately 5:45 a.m. Shortly after the deputies detected motion inside the vehicle, the dome light went on and suspect David McKeldey, 20, of Tehachapi, took flight.
After a brief foot pursuit, they arrested McKeldey for resisting arrest. McKeldey had been released from L.A. County Jail, where he served a full eight-month term for vehicular manslaughter, just two days prior to the chase. Deputies were unable to charge McKeldey for the theft of the vehicle.
During the early morning hours of May 19, Charles Francis McKillip, 38, of Tehachapi, was taken into custody and charged with the following: Assault with a deadly weapon, resisting arrest, felony reckless evading, reckless driving, false imprisonment, and multiple vehicle code violations.
Deputy Kevin Maxwell attempted to stop McKillip’s vehicle at approximately 12:20 a.m., when he recognized Mallory Tatum Fralick, 19, of Tehachapi, a known suspect with an outstanding warrant.
Christopher Fralick, Mallory’s husband was also inside the vehicle. McKillip proceeded to lead the deputy and his backups on a chase that began at the intersection of Valley Boulevard and Woodford-Tehachapi Road through Golden Hills, and finally west down Woodford-Tehachapi Road.
Speeds of 80 miles per hour were reached as McKillip ran stop signs, sped down dirt roads, and continued “weaving erratically and swerving” intentionally toward the police vehicles in pursuit.
Mechanical problems brought McKillip’s vehicle to a stop just east of the Tehachapi Loop, where McKillip then began to flee on foot onto private property. McKillip ran into a barbed wire fence, knocking it down before being taken into custody, approximately 50 yards downhill.
The Fralicks remained inside the vehicle, and were charged with being under the influence of a controlled substance, believed to be methamphetamines.
As deputies were wrapping up the investigation of the McKillip chase, at 5:50 a.m. on May 19, George Touchkov, 24, of Tehachapi, was stopped by Cerull near the 200 block of West Tehachapi Boulevard. Touchkov sped away as the deputy approached the vehicle. Touchkov had five outstanding warrants and was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the stop.
Deputies Fred Wheeler, Ryan Sorrow and Dan Bowman gave assistance with the chase. Touchkov was taken into custody without further incident in the 400 block of North Mill Street. Touchkov was charged with resisting arrest, no vehicle insurance, false registration, and not wearing a seat belt, in addition to the answering the charges associated with the five outstanding warrants.
Deputies were engaged in yet another high-speed pursuit on May 23, at approximately 10:50 a.m., when Cerull spotted a stolen vehicle in the downtown area.
The driver of the vehicle, Nicholas Mathew Martinez, 18, of Tehachapi, was wanted for the theft of another vehicle reported stolen by his stepfather one week prior. The stepfather’s vehicle was recovered at a private residence on Barnet Street, on the afternoon of May 22, where Martinez was observed fleeing the scene.
When Martinez was identified inside the second stolen vehicle, he was accompanied by female passenger Stacy Redler, 19, of Tehachapi.
Martinez did not stop and immediately gave chase, while Cerull pursued the vehicle through Golden Hills, areas of Highline Drive, and the residential area surrounding Mulberry Street. Martinez then traveled onto Highway 58 heading east.
During the high-speed chase, which reached speeds of 90 miles per hour, the female passenger Redler was observed throwing small items from the vehicle windows. These items were believed to be small pieces of torn paper. Deputies were not able to recover any of the items thrown from the car.
Once Martinez entered Hwy. 58, CHP officers immediately joined the chase, where they put down a spike strip near Cameron Road. The vehicle tried to avoid the spike strips by moving to the right. The front left tire hit the spike strips, deflating the tire. The pursuit continued east on Hwy. 58 at 60 miles per hour. The front left tire and rim came apart as the vehicle exited Hwy. 58 to Hwy. 14.
The pursuit went south on Hwy. 14 through Mojave at 50 miles per hour. When the pursuit entered the Rosamond area, speeds slowed to 40 miles per hour. The CHP from the Antelope Valley office took over the pursuit for one minute until the vehicle became inoperable. The pursuit ended 100 yards south of the Kern County line, on Hwy. 14 at Avenue A, after 50 miles, in 63 minutes.
Martinez was charged with grand theft auto, felony criminal evading, criminal conspiracy, and driving without a license. Redler was charged with grand theft auto, and criminal conspiracy.
Sgt. Joe Guiffre, commander of the Kern County Sheriff's Department, Tehachapi substation, commended his staff for their professionalism and safe conduct during these incidents.
“They did a great job and nobody got hurt,” said Guiffre.
He expressed concern that all of these suspects were previous offenders known to his deputies, and that these multiple offenders continue to put Tehachapi residents at risk. Guiffre described the offenders as “knucklehead” for their criminal behavior and reckless acts.
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Fri May 26, 2006 20:55:17 PDT
This all makes me very nervous about the city taking over. How are the postions for officers going to be filled? Will they lateral over? If not, what academy will they be going through? Thanks to the experence the KCSO had no one was killed during these chases. Keep up the good work guys!
Thu Jun 1, 2006 09:50:38 PDT
I must say that the Kern County Sheriff's deputies from the Tehachapi Substation ROCKS!!! I personally commend each and every one of these deputies for their professionalism, outstanding judgment and their ability to "kick a**" in yet another successful arrest in getting more low life scum-bag losers off the street. These deputies might believe that it's "just another day at the office", but to the citizens within the Tehachapi area, it means more "losers" are off the street. As each of these deputies are HEROS, I personally label each one of these suspects as low life scum-bag losers. Idiots with no respect for the law and bottom line, they have no clue. Each one of these suspects are huge morons for their reckless acts and criminal behavior. Deputies, keep up the outstanding work and remember, safety first! -Brian P. Johnson
Fri Jun 2, 2006 14:07:05 PDT
A City police force will not be able to do the same.
Fri Jun 2, 2006 16:33:01 PDT
Wew now have JR. Firemen and soon we will have JR cops. We never got to vote on any of it. Keep the pros, just say no to city police and city fire!!!!!
