REDDING: Man arrested after crashing stolen SUV during pursuit

REDDING — Authorities arrested a man after a vehicle and foot pursuit, Sunday, Oct. 22. The early morning incident ended after the alleged suspect crashed a stolen SUV and then fought with officers who tracked him with assistance from two Redding Police K-9’s.

After an investigation, officers arrested Terry Allen Decutler, 24, of Redding.

Decutler, who was arrested last month for being in possession of another stolen car, was later booked into the Shasta County Jail in Redding on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle, evading law enforcement, fleeing the scene of an accident, resisting arrest and driving with a suspended license, Redding Police Corporal Brian Cole explained in a written press release after the investigation and arrest.

The incident began about 12:50 p.m., when a citizen called 911 to report spotting his friend’s stolen 2010 Acura SUV being driven on Athens Avenue.

While the man provided SHASCOM emergency dispatchers with information and relayed the vehicle’s direction of travel, he eventually lost sight of the stolen SUV on Park Marina Drive.

Redding police officers responded to the area and an officer located the stolen SUV travelling eastbound on Highway 44.

When the driver, later identified as Decutler, exited the freeway onto Hilltop Drive officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop. Decutler refused to yield and accelerated away from the officers, at which time they initiated a vehicle pursuit.

During the short chase, Decutler reportedly drove in an extremely reckless manner, without regard for the safety of other citizens or pursuing officers.

“Decutler managed to only drive two city blocks before losing control of the Acura and crashing into a light pole in front of Dairy Queen on Churn Creek Road,” said Cole.

After crashing the SUV, Decutler fled on foot, running into a canal along Churn Creek Road.

Officials, including two police K-9’s, converged on the scene of the crash and began a systematic search of a the area including a neighborhood off Canby Road.

With help from the K-9’s officers tracked Decutler and located the man hiding underneath a vehicle in a residential driveway, according to Cole.

Despite being located, Decutler “remained uncooperative and continued to resist arrest,” said Cole. He was eventually apprehended with assistance from Officer Hebert and his K-9 partner, “Cain.”

During a subsequent investigation, Decutler reportedly admitted to stealing the vehicle and being in possession of it for nearly a week before his apprehension.

Decutler was eventually transported to Shasta Regional Medical Center for a medical clearance due to the traffic collision and subsequent K-9 apprehension.

No citizens or officers were injured as a result of the pursuit or collision.

An online jail records search revealed Decutler remains in custody, held on $105,000 bail.

Anyone with information about this investigation or Decutler’s alleged criminal activities is encouraged to contact Redding PD officials at (530) 225-4200. Callers can refer to incident file number 17-78605 and can remain anonymous.

 

Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, who recently moved from Riverside County to Shasta County, 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.