Reaching speeds up to 90 miles per hour, authorities in Sonora and Oakdale joined forces in a Tuesday morning pursuit that ended with an arrest.
Sonora Area CHP Public Information Officer Steven Machado said their office was notified of a vehicle theft that had occurred at the Rush Creek Lodge near Yosemite, with an employee of the Lodge reporting the stolen vehicle.
“We were able to intercept the vehicle but then the driver fled from us,” Machado explained.
Officers then started the pursuit, getting behind the vehicle in the area of Highway 120 and Sims Road in Sonora.
“Two of our CHP officers pursued the driver,” said Machado.
With the vehicle headed westbound, the CHP office in Modesto was notified, as were Oakdale Police.
Machado said the pursuit of the stolen truck started in Sonora about 8:13 a.m. Tuesday morning, Aug. 20 and was terminated in Oakdale at 8:51 a.m.
The driver, who was subsequently arrested on multiple charges and booked at the Tuolumne County Jail, was identified as Dakota Rhea, 32, of Stockton.
He drove the truck into Oakdale, said authorities, and ended up hitting a dead end but attempted to drive alongside the nearby railroad tracks, ultimately fleeing the vehicle near Davitt and Birdwell.
“We actually took him into custody for the CHP,” explained Oakdale Police Chief Jerry Ramar.
He said his officers gave chase after Rhea fled the scene on foot and were able to quickly apprehend him, near Gilbert and Birdwell.
Machado said Rhea was booked on counts including possession of stolen property, evading an officer, resisting arrest and vehicle theft. He also had an out of county warrant, Machado added, and he is believed to be responsible for two additional vehicle thefts. The first of the day was in Galt, the second in Sonora with the final one at Rush Creek.
“Oakdale Police Department assisted us, Modesto CHP assisted us,” Machado said, with Sonora CHP ultimately making the arrest.
There were no injuries during the incident.