Redding man, arrested for vehicle theft 5 times since July, arrested again with stolen car, motorcycle

REDDING — A man who officials say has been arrested for vehicle theft five times since July and was wearing a disabled ankle monitor was arrested once again, Friday, Nov. 10. The man was arrested after allegedly leading police on a pursuit in a stolen car with a stolen motorcycle in the back of the car, according to officials.

Officers arrested Roy Earl Prior, 49, of Redding, after he fled from the stolen vehicle and hid in a greenbelt area east of Interstate 5, Redding Police Corporal Brian Cole explained in a written press release.

“This marks Prior’s fifth arrest for possession of a stolen car since July of 2017,” Cole explained. “The previous cases are still pending prosecution.”

The investigation began about 4 p.m., after a Redding police officer spotted “a suspicious Honda” in the area of Twin View Boulevard near Poppy Hills Road in Redding.

When the officer attempted to conduct a traffic enforcement stop on the Honda the driver, later identified as Prior, refused to yield and sped away from the officer.

In an effort to elude pursuing officials, Prior and a female passenger traveled off-road and into a large greenbelt area, according to Cole, who explained Prior and the unidentified female passenger then fled on foot from the Honda.

Officers converged on the area and quickly determined the Honda had been reported stolen. Officers also learned a 70cc mini dirt bike that was in the back of the Honda had been stolen from nearby Tractor Supply Co. the previous evening.

With assistance from two K-9’s, officers began a systematic search of the area where Prior had been seen running. They eventually located him hiding in a nearby in a creek bed.

The female who fled from the stolen vehicle was not located at the time and officials are seeking information about the woman.

In addition to recovering the stolen Honda and dirt bike, during their search officers also located a second, unoccupied stolen vehicle in the same greenbelt area where Prior fled. Officials did not state if Prior was suspected in that vehicle’s theft.

During their subsequent investigation, officers determined Prior was on Shasta County Probation’s Supervised Own Recognizance Program (SOR).

Prior also had a GPS monitor attached to his leg; however, “he had failed to charge (the monitor) in order to avoid law enforcement,” said Cole.

Based on their investigation, Prior was arrested and transported to the Shasta County Jail in Redding, where he was booked on suspicion of possession of stolen property, possession of a stolen vehicle and contempt of court. He remains in custody and is being held without bail.

Anyone with information about Prior’s alleged ongoing criminal activities or his female passenger is encouraged to contact Redding PD at (530) 225-4200. Callers can refer to incident file number 17-83430 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.