Shasta Lake motorcyclist captured after fleeing from Redding officers

REDDING, Calif., — Authorities say a motorcyclist and wanted felon who fled from officers was arrested after abandoning his motorcycle near the Redding Civic Auditorium and fleeing on foot Thursday evening, June 2.

The dangerous high-speed pursuit, which hit speeds in excess of 100 mph and covered a distance of approximately seven miles, began in the north Anderson area of SR 273 and Happy Valley Road, according to officials.

This most recent arrest was the man’s second apprehension this year for recklessly evading officers and records indicate he has been arrested many times as an adult since turning 18.

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At around 10:51 p.m., City of Redding police officers observed a motorcyclist driving recklessly in the area, according to Redding Police Sergeant Regan Ortega.

When officers attempted to make an enforcement stop on the motorcycle the rider fled, at which time officers initiated a pursuit.

As officers chased the motorcycle, they requested additional resources and assistance from the California Highway Patrol (CHP) Northern Division Air Operations, at which time a helicopter was launched to the area.

As the chase continued, the rider was seen traveling in excess of 100 mph and was reported to be riding in an extremely reckless manner, without regard for the safety of pursuing officers or other citizens, according to official radio traffic at the time.

CHP’s helicopter arrived overhead within minutes and began monitoring the fleeing motorcyclist from overhead, allowing Redding police officers to discontinue the chase for safety reasons. 

With CHP’s chopper following from the air, the motorcyclist eventually exited Highway 44 and abandoned his motorcycle near the Redding Civic Auditorium.

Notified that the man was now on foot, Redding officers converged on the area and quickly located the rider, who immediately fled from them.

The man, since identified as Blake Mize, 22 years of Shasta Lake City, was captured after a short foot pursuit and arrested without further incident.

Mize was later booked into the Shasta County Jail in Redding on suspicion of reckless driving, driving in excess of 100 mph, evading with wanton disregard for public safety, resisting arrest, and driving on a suspended license. He was also booked on two unspecified warrants, including one felony and one misdemeanor.

Online jail records indicate he remains in custody, where he is being held without bail.

Records indicate Mize was arrested by CHP for similar charges on Feb. 28, when he was booked into jail on suspicion of evading with wanton disregard for public safety, driving on a suspended license and two warrants. He was released just two days later.

Among his multiple other arrests, he was also taken into custody in May 2018 at the age of 18, by Shasta County Sheriff’s Office – City of Shasta Lake Station deputies when he was caught in possession of a stolen pickup truck and drug paraphernalia and again in August 2020 after he was found to be in possession of narcotics and for being a felon in possession of tear gas.

Anyone with further information regarding this investigation is encouraged to contact the Redding Police Department at (530) 225-4200. Callers can refer to incident file number 22R034191 and can remain anonymous.

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Contact the writer: [email protected]

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). Both are stringer organizations, providing breaking news coverage and community interest stories 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.