Burney woman arrested with drugs and cash after 143 mph pursuit ends in crash near Johnson Park
BURNEY, Calif., — Authorities say a Burney woman who was out of jail on bail after being caught with a stolen vehicle in Lassen County was arrested after crashing while fleeing from a California Highway Patrol officer Wednesday, March 16. A passenger from the fleeing vehicle managed to elude capture after the crash and has not been identified.
Last night’s high-speed pursuit, which began on SR-299E near Napa Road and ended when the fleeing woman crashed into several oak trees on Rocky Ranch Road just southwest of Four Corners, hit speeds in excess of 140 mph as it tore through the small Intermountain area towns of Burney and neighboring Johnson Park, according to CHP.
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CHP Officer Chris Ogden told SCNS this afternoon that he was working on a follow-up investigation in downtown Burney around 9:15 p.m. when he heard a vehicle with a loud exhaust heading eastbound on SR-299E toward his location.
As the vehicle, described as an Infiniti G35i, passed Ogden’s location at high speed he activated his radar, which indicated the vehicle was traveling around 90 mph – despite the highway’s 30 mph posted speed limit through town.
When Ogden attempted to conduct a traffic enforcement stop the driver, since identified as Madison Lynn Sarri, 18, of Burney, refused to yield and accelerated away from him, at which time a pursuit was initiated.
As the short, two-mile chase continued, Sarri and her unidentified female passenger hit speeds of 143 mph and the vehicle was seen passing other vehicles on the wrong side of the highway against the double yellow lines without regard for the safety of pursuing officials or other citizens, according to Ogden.
After passing through Burney and Johnson Park, Sarri made an abrupt right turn onto Rocky Ranch Road, where she eventually crashed into several bushes and oak trees.
Upon crashing, both Sarri and her passenger fled on foot from the wrecked vehicle and were seen running in opposite directions into the surrounding forest.
Focusing on the driver, Ogden gave chase and managed to tackle and handcuff her as she fled through the heavily wooded area. Sarri’s female passenger, who was believed may have been injured in the crash, managed to elude officials and has not yet been identified.
During a search of Sarri’s vehicle incident to her arrest, Ogden and assisting officers discovered more than $4,000 cash, along with a small amount of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.
Sarri was transported to an area hospital for treatment of unspecified injuries, and she was later booked into the Shasta County Jail in Redding on suspicion of felony evading, DUI/drugs, possession of methamphetamine, possession of paraphernalia, resisting or obstructing a peace officer, and driving while unlicensed.
Online jail records indicate she remains in custody in lieu of $10,000.
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Trevor Montgomery, 51, moved in 2017 to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and operates Riverside County News Source (RCNS) and Shasta County News Source (SCNS), which act as stringer-news providers for other mainstream media organizations throughout the two regions they serve.
Additionally, he writes or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers Valley News, Valley Chronicle, Anza Valley Outlook, and Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle; the Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County; and Mountain Echo in Shasta County. He is also a regular contributor to Thin Blue Line TV and Law Enforcement News Network and has had his stories featured on news stations throughout the Southern California and North State regions.
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. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s 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.
Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.
Trevor has been married for more than 30 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 18 grandchildren.