Wanted felon arrested after dangerous City of Shasta Lake pursuit

SHASTA LAKE – Deputies arrested a man after he led them on a dangerous vehicle pursuit through a residential neighborhood, Sunday, May 22.

During the chase, the man – who was later identified as Michael Brian Chandler, 28, of Shasta Lake – drove without regard for the safety of other citizens or pursuing lawmen.

“Chandler drove in excess of 50 mph down residential streets and failed to stop for nine different stop signs,” according to Shasta County Sheriff’s Sgt. Barry Powell.

The pursuit ended in front of a residence in the 2100 block of Grand Coulee Boulevard, where deputies arrested him without further incident. He was later booked into jail for multiple felonies.

The incident began at 8:58 p.m. when a Shasta County Sheriff’s deputy assigned to the City of Shasta Lake observed a pickup truck with “several vehicle code violations” at the intersection of Locust and Chico Streets.

The deputy attempted to conduct a traffic enforcement stop on the vehicle by activating his overhead lights and siren. Chandler refused to yield and fled from the deputy, at which time the deputy initiated a vehicle pursuit.

During the dangerous pursuit Chandler drove in an extremely reckless manner, and official radio traffic at the time indicated that while attempting to evade deputies he committed numerous vehicle code violations. The chase continued until the fleeing man stopped at a residential property on Grand Coulee Boulevard where deputies took him into custody without further incident.

Once Chandler was in handcuffs, deputies conducted a records check that revealed he had a felony warrant for his arrest. Deputies also learned Chandler’s license was suspended and he had a prior felony conviction.

While conducting a search after Chandler’s arrest, deputies discovered he was in possession of ammunition. As a felon, he is prohibited from possessing ammunition.

Deputies booked Chandler into the Shasta County Jail for recklessly evading, being a felon in possession of ammunition, and his existing felony warrant.

 

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Trevor Montgomery, 46, recently moved to Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for Riverside County based newspapers Valley News, The Valley Chronicle and Anza Valley Outlook as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident.

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations, including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center and Lake Elsinore Station, along with other locations.